Date: Sun, 19 Nov 2000 23:04:46 EST
From: Kevinsangel24@aol.com
Subject: Cosmic Companions Chapter 12 gaymale/celebrities/boybands

Disclaimer: Kat and I do not know NSYNC Nor the Backstreet Boys or any other
celebrities mentioned in the timeline.. If we did than we'll be very lucky
and Joey wouldn't ever come out ever again. :)

Author's Note: This is an alternate universe. Nothing is real. Men can't
have babies even though us females wish they could.  This is something that
came in my sick head and I managed to drag Kat in. So enjoy the story. It
was fun writing it.

Author's Note Ps: Oh the story is now called Cosmic Companions. Thanks to
Fluttergirl for the Title. Lets welcome Jackie to the story. She has been a
big help in contributing to this story. Please email her and tell her that
she's doing a great job. Thanks to Pukku for helping me find the wedding
vows.

I found the vows at this website. http://member.aol.com/trevorb1/index.html
The vows used here is called When Love Bekons.

Thanks to all our readers who sent feedback telling us how wonderful the
story is.  We're having fun writing it as you are reading it. Thanks again.

Pairing: Chris/Lance, JC/Joey/Justin.

Email: Since there are two people working on this story it's fair to email
at least both. PLEASE email us :)

Shells: kevinsangel24@aol.com
Kat: storykath@operamail.com
Jackie B: crunkdoll@yahoo.com

========================
Cosmic Companions
Chapter 12
Written By: Shell , Kat and Jackie
========================

 Joey could feel the coldness hit him as he entered the room. He watched as
Josh and Justin got changed for bed. Usually he was the one in the middle
but not tonight. JC climbed on one side as Justin took the middle. He
wanted to cry. He knew his husbands were mad at him.

"Josh" Joey said softly.

"We'll talk in the morning. Turn off the lights and then get into bed. You
need your rest" Josh said as he kissed Justin. "Night hon."

Justin kissed Josh back. "Night love. Don't forget to shut the door okay."

Joey sighed as he shut the door and turned off the lights. He watched his
husbands turn their backs on him and pulled the covers to their
shoulders. He felt his heart break in a million of pieces. There were times
he hated having a godfather as a father and this is one of them. He rubbed
his belly and climbed into bed and turned his back away from Justin and
JC. he didn't want to show them the tears that were slowly falling from his
tearful eyes.

He clutched his pillow as sleep overcame him. He wondered if his past will
ruin their marriage.

*****

Joey awoke from a nightmare. He was breathing and was sweating. He couldn't
remember the dream but it was bad. Really, really bad. He turned to make
sure he didn't wake the two and with the help of the headboard got up. He
placed a robe around him and existed the room. He needed to think.

 He went to the mini fridge and grabbed a half-gallon of double-chocolate
fudge ice cream, a half-gallon of chocolate milk, and some pringles. He
grabbed a spoon and went to the couch and sat. He sat there thinking on
what to do.

"No" Joey said as he ate the stuff in front of him. "MY fathers won't have
a say in what my children become. I have to stand up to him."

"But I'm so scared" Joey admitted to himself. "What if he insists? What do
I do?"

"I don't want to lose my babies. I don't want to lose my fathers. Most
importantly I don't want to lose my husbands" Joey sniffled as he crushed
the pringles and placed them in the ice cream. As he ate he got further
depressed. He was going to have to chose. He didn't' want to chose about
his children's futures but between his mates and his father. It seems he
don't have a choice.

"I do have a choice" Joey whispered as he finished the ice cream and
chocolate milk. "I hope dad can help me convince daddy."

Joey yawned as it was nearly approaching daylight. He curled up in a corner
of a couch and rubbed his belly. "Daddy will make it up to you two. You'll
see."

 Slowly Joey fell into a restless slumber.

When Justin woke up, he immediately sensed that Joey wasn't next to him in
the bed. He didn't know how he was so sure, without even opening his eyes,
but he just knew.

"Joey?" he asked, sitting up. Next to him, JC was sleeping. As Justin
didn't get an answer he looked around the room. It was still dark, and his
eyes wasn't fully adjusted to the lack of light yet.

 Climbing out of bed, Justin tiptoed over to the curled up figure he had
spotted on the couch across the room. Coming closer he found Joey asleep,
curled into a ball in the couch corner.

"Oh angel" Justin sighed as he saw remnants of tears on Joey's cheeks. "I'm
sorry, I am not really mad at you, I know you can't choose your family."

He bent down to gently wake Joey. "Come on love," he told the sleepy man,
"let's get you back in bed, you're getting cold over here." Too tired to
protest Joey did what Justin told him too and let himself be tucked into
the warm bedcovers again.

 Still sleeping JC turned around as he sensed a presence next to him,
reaching out he embraced Joey, pulling him in close. Knowing that there
problems wasn't over just by that, Joey decided to let the trouble wait for
a bit and snuggled up to JC and closed his eyes again.

Watching his two husbands sleep, Justin sat down on the edge of the bed. JC
had been mad, he had seen it too last night. But if the older man didn't
snap out of it and if he let it become an issue between the three of
them... Then Justin was ready to forget all about the alpha and beta male
thing and just beat some sense into JC's stubborn mind.

Fortunately it looked like JC was getting there, in the way he nearly
crushed Joey in what had to be a suffocating grasp. Leaving them to it,
Justin got up again, wandered around their room for a bit, folding some
items of clothing, cleaning up some litter. The room was still dark, but he
didn't want to turn the lights on. It was still very early.

 When the room was tidy again, he snuck into the bathroom. Taking a quick
shower, shaved and brushed his teeth, Justin decided to order breakfast for
all of them.

He would to it from Lance and Chris' room, leaving JC and Joey to talk a
little. The other couple should be up by now, hopefully...a smile crossed
Justin's face...they weren't up to something naughty.

After getting dressed quietly, he leaned over the bed, and kissed his two
sleeping husbands. "You two make up," he whispered. Ten he left the room,
walking down the corridor to Lance and Chris's room.

So early in the morning the corridor was empty. Humming to himself, Justin
thought about their new house. He hoped Joey would like it, and that it
wouldn't remind him of what happened to him while the other four was out
looking at it.

Lance certainly would have a positive influence there. He was as perky as
Joey had been moody lately. The pregnancy and hormones made him chipper
like some overeager morning bird and he was destined to make everybody else
just as happy as he was.

Starting with Chris. Every so often, lance would take Chris' hand, drag him
off somewhere, and fifteen minutes later they would return. Lance perkier
than ever and Chris with a dazed, satisfied look on his face.

Lance and Chris' room was in the end of the corridor. The light from a
window fell in over it, making the corner appear shadowy.

 Approaching the door, Justin caught a movement in the shadows out of the
corner of his eye.

 Somebody was standing there, he couldn't see who it was. But the figure
saw him and bolted for the stairs. It was over in a couple of seconds and
Justin found himself standing still on the middle of the floor.

 Whoever it was didn't have anything good in mind. He shuddered as he
thought of what might have had happened if he hadn't surprised the man.

 The people out to hurt them knew where they were. That was obvious. But
the question was who knew? Justin was shocked to find that he could
actually name several parties out to harm them.

Lifting his hand to knock and Chris and lance's door, Justin thought that
the sooner they got out of the hotel and into their new house, the better.

Justin knocked on the door. "Hey, you guys decent."

"Yes" a voice yawned as he opened the door. "What is it Justin?"

"I left the room. JC and Joey need to talk" Justin whispered.

"What happened?" Chris said showing his friend in.

"Remember Joey telling us about last night" Justin asked.

"Yeah" Lance said. "Chris a little help here."

"Sorry hon" Chris chuckled and helped Lance sit up.

"Funny, you try being four months pregnant" Lance pouted.

"I rather not" Chris smiled as he kissed Lance's forehead.

"Sorry go on Just" Lance encouraged his young friend.

We all know JC didn't take it well. Neither did I at first but when we went
to bed. I'm ashamed of my actions but we gave Joey the cold shoulder."
Justin said looking at the carpet.

"Justin!" Chris said sternly. "Joey couldn't help what kind of life he
had."

"I know that and JC knows that. But for Mr. Fatone to have a say in our
kids lives. That Josh's firstborn son takes over the 'family' business
after Jeff. What kind of bull shit is that? What kind of right does
Mr. Fatone have a say in our children or Joey's life. None." Justin said in
frustration.

"We can understand your viewpoint" Lance said. "Talk with Phil. It might do
some good."

"I don't want Joe Fatone to take Joey away from us. I'm afraid he'll have
our marriage annulled and then take Joey and the twins away from us."
Justin said.

"Just cause he's a powerful mob boss doesn't give him the right. We'll
fight for you" Chris said. "I'm sure Phil will have Joe Sr.'s head on a
platter."

"True. I'm getting off topic. Well Usually Joey's in the middle and Chris
if you say one word I'll beat you senseless" Justin said.

"WHAT! I wasn't going to say it!" Chris protested.

"You were thinking it" Lance giggled.

"Oh fine! My own husband is picking on me" Chris pouted.

 "You're just an easy target to pick on Chris" Justin grinned.

 "Oh joy" Chris said in a sarcastic voice.

"Anyway Josh and I were being the asshole males that Dominants usually are"

 "Ass kisser"

"Christopher shut up"

"Well he is"

"And he has the right to so hush"

"Fine"

"We turned our backs on Joey Last night. Josh was on one side, I was in the
middle. Our backs were not facing him. We were mad and we shouldn't have
been. Joey was so hurt" Justin trailed off as the image of his baby on the
couch with tears on his cheeks just hurt him deeply.

 "We really fucked up. We hurt him so badly. He woke up in the middle of
the night and went to the living room. He must have gorged himself on ice
cream and chocolate milk. Both are empty. I woke up knowing Joey was
gone. I felt bad and found him curled on the couch. I helped him back in
bed" Justin sighed.

 "Oh man. Josh will get his hand out of his ass. You two are his husbands
and mates. No other doms can tell you how to raise your
children. Mr. Fatone knows that. Talk to Phil. I'm sure when you three tell
him Joe Sr. will be sleeping on the couch for a long time" Lance said.

"Thanks" Justin smiled. "Let's order breakfast before we have two very
pregnant males stuffing our dead bodies out the window."

"Yeah they can be brutal during feeding time" Chris smirked.

"HEY!" Lance protested. "For that Mr. Kirkpatrick you're not getting no
loving tonight."

"Ouch" Chris said.

"It looks like you and the hand are gonna keep each other company" Justin
giggled.

"Watch it Junior"

"I wouldn't speak Justin. Wait till Joey finds out. You can keep Chris
company" Lance chuckled as he picked up the phone.

"EWE!"

 "I'm not that bad"

"Hairy but he really isn't bad" Lance laughed.

"I'm not that hairy"

"Yes he is"

Justin laughed at the two newlywed's antics. "Lance can ya order."

"No cause we're all gonna be sick to our stomachs" Chris said as he took
the phone from his husband. "With what he eats. We be safer dead."

"Hey" Lance pouted.

"I love ya Scoop" Chris said.

"Yeah just order the damn food" Lance pouted.

*****
 Joey's eyes fluttered open as the sun's rays filled the room. He winced
and wanted to go back to sleep. He had a bad night last night and just
wanted to sleep.

His eyes opened and he sighed. He wouldn't go to sleep for a while. Or
until the babies tell him to rest. But for now he had to be content with
being awake. He felt eyes watching his every movement. He turned to see JC
watching him. He bit his lip. "Hey."

"Hey," JC answered, his expression unreadable to Joey. "How are you
feeling?" "Ok," Joey replied, still whispering.

"Come here," JC said and held out his arms. Joey snuggled up to him and
felt JC's arms lock around him in a strong embrace.

"I'm sorry, love," JC then said. "how about we make a rule that says that
we can't go to bed angry? And I promise to follow it."

"I like that," Joey said. "And I'm sorry too...it's just that my family
comes with a long and sordid past."

"I know, sweetie," JC answered. "And I think I can handle your dad. As long
as I've got you, and Justin, I really don't care much about anything else."

Smiling Joey curled up a little closer to JC. "Good. Now we don't have to
get up right away. do we?" "No, not really," JC answered, kissing the top
of Joey's hair. "not at all."

*****

"I wonder what's taking them so long," Justin wondered. Then he smiled and
shrugged. "JC's probably on his knees, begging for forgiveness by
now...Chris, don't say a word."

"Hey!" Chris protested. "Why do you all think my mind's in the gutter?"
Munching on one of his beloved carrots dipped in dark chocolate syrup,
Lance lovingly patted his head.

"Because that is where it is most of the time, darling. And I like it."
Looking up at him, Chris said: "I ain't kissing you as long as you're
eating those things."

"What? The carrots? It's healthy food." "It is, but not with half a gallon
of choice sauce on top. That's just icky." Before Chris could say anything
else, Lance kissed him.

Chris pouted.

Justin laughed

Chris gave up pouting and kissed Lance again, in spite of his declaration
of not kissing him as long as Lance was having chocolate sauce carrots.

"You two are just disturbingly cute," Justin commented.

"And I wonder what's keeping those two husbands of mine..." Lance put his
hand over Chris' mouth. "Just in case, sweetie," he teased as Chris raised
a questioning eyebrow.

When Lance removed his hand, Chris sighed. Then he said: "Since all of you
thinks I have such a dirty mind..." He leaned over to lance and whispered
something in his ear that almost made Lance choke on his carrot, then blush
crimson red.

"I'm going to leave you two to it," Justin said, "Whatever Chris said he
anted to do to you now... I'll be back when I track down my second
halves....or should that be third halves?"

 Lance had managed to swallow the carrot and smiled at him. "Uhm, take your
time?"

"I will, trust me," Justin said, "walking in on you and shorty over there
going at it, is not on my list of fun things to do. Have fun, see you in
fifteen minutes."

He left the room and starting walking back to their own room, hoping that
JC and Joey had sorted things out now.

****

 Joey smiled as Justin had his eyes closed. "Okay..I don't want to fall
now. You sure having me blindfolded is a good idea."

"Yes and next time we're having hot, freaky sex remind me to bring the
blindfold" Justin said.

"And you say I'm dirty minded all the time" Chris mocked pouted.

I'm young. I'm suppose to have dirty thoughts. You on the other hand are
old and not supposed to" Justin grinned.

"Why you little!"

"Chris, he's helping Joey walk to the door. If you attack him now Joey's
gonna fall" JC warned.

"Ha ha"

"You Mr. Chasez behave" JC warned.

"Junior's in trouble"

 "Will you two stop" both Lance and Joey replied.

"Uh oh"

"Double mood swing"

"Run"

"That's it! JC and Justin are never going to touch me again. I don't want
to be pregnant anymore" Joey replied.

 "My back's killing me. My ankles are swollen, Walking is hell, and I'm
hungry!" Lance replied grumpily.

"The same for me!" Joey answered.

"And No you three won't be having sex" Lance agreed.

"Oh fuck'

"Don't curse"

"They're nagging us"

Is it too late to back out now"

"You should have thought of that before thinking with your dicks" Joey
growled.

"It's hot!" lance whined.

"Let's get them in the house" Chris whispered. "Before they decide to be
Lenny Bobbit"

"Gotcha" Justin replied. "Okay my beautiful grumpy husband. Take a step up"

Joey did so as JC opened the door. He was helped in. "Open your eyes Joe."

Joey opened his eyes and smiled. "OH man it's beautiful."

"Do you like it" Lance asked. "Isn't it gorgeous. Newly built house. Plenty
of room."

"I love it. When can you move in?" Joey asked.

"US?"

"What do you expect us to lift furniture. How stone aged are you?" Joey
asked as he waddled inside.

"Yeah" Lance replied.

"Someone save us" Justin whimpered.

"Oh Lance come here. There's a couch!" Joey exclaimed happily as he
carefully sat down.

"Ooh Couch. Couch is good" Lance smiled as he joined his friend. "You know
Joe, it's getting harder to get up and sit down."

"I know. I think a couple weeks from now I won't be able to walk out the
door" Joey chuckled.

"How did the couch get in here?" Justin asked as he shut the door.

"Congratulations on a new house" a voice replied.

"Daddy!!!" Joey exclaimed happily at the sight of his father. He tried to
get up, then resigned and smiled up at his father. "I think I'm stuck in
this couch forever, daddy."

"I'm sure those two husbands of yours will find away to get you up," Phil
teased and winked at his son. "Daddy!" Joey scolded him and blushed. Justin
and JC were doubling over in laughter. Lance was smiling and Chris said:
"See? I'm not the only one!"

 Lance shook his head. "Hush you. You're my dirty mouth. I'm not gonna
share."

Realizing that this was a conversation that was rapidly getting out of
hand, and that he really didn't need his daddy hearing it, Joey said:
"enough about that. We gotta decide what to do to this house."

"If I can get myself out of this couch, I want to decorate," lance
said. "Chris, Justin and JC will carry the furniture in and move them
around."

"Are we going to let them to this to us?" Justin said, turning to JC and
Chris. "I think so," Chris replied. "But we could always hire help for them
to boss around."

"I like the sound of that," Chris nodded. "Then they'll be too tired to be
moody when we're there. I say we hire people for them to bitch at."

 "I agree," JC said. "Joey gets mean when he's moody. And lance looks like
a little puppy left out in the rain."

"He does, doesn't he?" Chris said, "I get a guilty conscience over that
look even when I haven't done anything. I swear he uses it on purpose."

"Knowing the two of them they're all bonding now," Justin added. "Pondering
on new ways to get us to follow their every little whim."

"They are," JC sighed. "And what's worse, we're still going to do anything
they want us to. Because we can't help ourselves."

"That's true," Chris said. "We're whipped, guys, let's just face it."

"Whipped like you wouldn't believe it," Justin agreed. "Oh yes," JC
added. "We've got it BAD!"

 They look at each other and then nodded. "Bad!"

>From the couch Lance looked suspiciously at their husbands. "You think
they're plotting on something, Joe?" "Nah, their cute, little minds
wouldn't know how to do that."

Joey looked over the trio.

"But it wouldn't hurt to watch out either."

"*cause we wouldn't want them to get any *ideas*," Lance giggled.

 "Absolutely not!" Joey answered. "Because we need them. We'll never get
out of this freaking couch if they're not helping."

"This couch's gotta go," Lance said.

"I'm going to go call your dad, Joey," Phil said. "He's still downtown. The
police commissioner wanted a word with him."

"Everything ok?" Joey asked. "Dad's not in trouble?"

 "No, he's not, honey," Phil answered. "It's about hat happened
yesterday. They didn't find Ricky. The police thinks he might have left the
state by now."

"I hope he has," Joey sighed. "OR he's at least far away from here." "You
know that your dad isn't going to rest before he finds him," Phil said.

"I know, dad," Joey answered. He smiled. "Tell dad I love him, ok?" "Will
do," Phil said and left to make the call.

"Now," Joey then said. "I want to see the rest of the house. I just gotta
get up first." "I haven't seen all myself, lance said. "Let's go. Chris!"
he called. "Get me out of this thing!"

 "I don't know, honey," Chris replied. "I kinda like you there, I know
where I got you."

 Lance sent him a disbelieving look. "Christopher Alan, you didn't just say
that you're going to abandon me here?"

"I haven't decided yet," Chris answered.

Lance looked at him. "you get your pretty little behind over here right
now, or you'll be sleeping on the couch until the kid starts college!!!"

"Hmmm," Chris said. "Baby, you're already taking up the couch." "Chris, you
better come over here," Joey said. "I think he's seconds away from blowing
steam out his ears, and I'm scared."

"We'll save you, sweetheart,2 JC said and pulled Joey out of the
couch. "Thank you!" Joey said. "that thing's not staying. I want anew
couch."

Lance was still staring at Chris. Chris looked back. "I love you, blondie,
he then said. "Even with steam coming out your ears."

"Oh you're SO NOT getting any!" Lance growled.

"Come on I was joking"

"You still not getting any!" Lance replied. "you're sleeping on the couch
tonight."

"But no fair" Chris pouted as he helped Lance off the couch.

"Couch is so uncomfortable" Joey smirked. "Have a nice night Chris."

"This totally sucks"

They walked through the house as Joey complained about the steps. "Are we
almost done here?"

"Who's getting the master bedroom?" Justin asked.

"There's two" Chris said. "We each can take one."

"Cool. And the nursery?" Joey asked.

"Not to far from the master bedrooms. The Walls are soundproof so we do
have to have the baby monitors on" Lance smiled.

"How soon can we move in?" Joey asked.

"As soon as possible?"

"Great"

"Why?" Justin asked.

"The sooner we move in the sooner we can christen every room" Joey winked.

"I love a horny Joey" JC chuckled.

"You would" Joey said. "MY back hurts.."

"Okay it's back to the couch for you two" Chris said.

 "HEY No. can't get out."

"That's the point"

"You three are SO not getting any" Joey pouted.

"Oh fuck"

"Justin don't curse"

"Sorry"

"Come on we better get use to sleeping on the couch" JC said as he dragged
Joey to the couch.

****

Three weeks later Joey was looking at some wall paper for the nursery. He
and Lance decided to have one huge nursery so here he was deciding on
wallpaper.

"Hmmm Blue is nice. Then again so is yellow" Joey sighed as he flipped
through the pages.

 He smiled to himself as Lance became Satan as he decorated the house. Poor
Chris, JC, and Justin were so exhausted.

It took Lance five times having the couch moved before deciding it was best
by the fireplace. He was a slave driver.

 Joey just sat on the love seat laughing at the three men who were cursing
up a storm.

 "Well, well, well, what do we have here" a raspy voice whispered in Joey's
ear.

Joey dropped the book. "Ricky."

"Remember me sweetie. My you have gotten fat big time" Ricky smiled as he
ran his hands all over Joey's body.

"How the hell did you get in here?" Joey said, backing out of his former
boyfriend's grip. Moving towards the door, Ricky was faster than him and
blocked the entrance.

"can't have you leave just yet," he smiled. "And you oughta know, I have a
way of getting into places...you don't remember, Joey? Those night I snick
past all those security guards of your father?"

 Finding himself back to wall, Joey looked straight at the darker
man. "What do you want, Ricky?" "Well, you, of course," Ricky smiled. "did
you really think I'd let you get away?"

"We are *so* over, Ricky," Joey replied. "I'm married now. Even if I wasn't
married, I still wouldn't want you."

As Ricky's eyes narrowed and the smile died on his face, Joey knew he was
in trouble. Then Ricky left the doorway and started walking towards him.

****

Justin looked around the living room. "We finally did it!" he said,
sounding a little surprised. "The first floor is done."

 Lance and Chris was cuddling on the offensive couch, as had been allowed
to stay after Chris had gone out of his way to apologize to lance after
teasing him earlier. After chasing the three other out of the room, the two
of them made up.

After that lance had developed quite a fondness for the couch and it became
Chris and his regular seat.

 JC was sprawled out an a big armchair. "We still got two floors to go."

"Thank you for bringing that up right now," Justin said and stuck his
tongue out at him.

 "You just enjoy your rest before Chris and Lance gets back. I swear
something has possessed lance about this decorating issue. He's like a
blonde, pregnant interior decorating demon."

"That he is," Justin nodded,

 As an answer to Justin's words, the door opened and the two on question
came through. Chris was carrying several shopping bags and lance all but
fell into the chair next to JC. "That's it. I'm not getting up until next
Monday. My feet are killing me."

Putting the bags away Chris sat down on the armrest of Lance's chair. "It's
your own fault, honey, you were the one that had to visit all those shops."

 Lance looked up at him. "Never mind," Chris replied.

"So where have you hidden Joey?" Lance asked. "He is up in the nursery," JC
said.

"I should get up there too," Lance decided. "I want to show him what I
bought. Chris, help me get out of this evil creation, will you, love?"

"Of course, sweetie," Chris said, hauling Lance to his feet.

"Christ, I'm not even five months pregnant yet," lance sighed. "I'm going
to need a tow truck to get up when I reach third trimester."

 "I'm going to buy you a tow truck then, sweetheart," Chris assured
him. "Now run along up to Joey and show him what you got for the nursery."
Lance sent him a slightly amused look. "Run. Yeah, right."

"Then waddle along, o pregnant one," Chris smiled. "Sometimes you're nearly
too corny even for you, honey," Lance smiled back.

 Chris blew him a kiss. Then he came rushing over. "You honestly didn't
think I'd let you go up the stairs alone?"

"You better not,2 Lance replied. "Because if you did, and I fell down and
broke my neck, I'd have to come back to haunt you.2

"But if you fell down,2 Chris said, wide-eyed, "I'd have to fall down after
you. We could both be ghosts."

"What on earth are the two of you discussing?" Justin wanted to
know. "Ghosts," Chris answered, "eternal love."

 "Eternal love with my Christopher," Lance added. "We are going to be
ghosts if we fall down the stairs."

"You two are weird," Justin said. Then he nodded seriously. "Weird, I say."

"Let's go, honey," Chris said. "We are misunderstood here." "Never mind
them," Lance replied. "They don't understand how our divine minds work."  >
 They started walking up the stairs. Lance holding on tightly to Chris'
arm, letting him support him.

Halfway up the stairs, the heard a loud crash. It came from the nursery.

Downstairs JC sat up. "What the hell was that?" "I don't know," Justin
said, already heading for the stairs. "But it came from the nursery."

*****

Joey backed away from Ricky. His body sore from the beating. "Stay away."

"I told you once Joseph and I'm not going to tell you again. you're mine"
Ricky snarled as he ripped the ring off of Joey's finger causing him to
yelp.

Ricky smiled. "I should enjoy you right now. I never had the chance to
stick my dick in your ass."

"And you won't either" Joey growled trying to get up.

"No one's going to help you. Imagine raped in the nursery. Can you imagine
what it's like for your babies to cry at night and you having to get up and
walk right in the very room that you were raped in" Ricky smiled.

"My husbands they're going to help me" Joey whispered.

"Not with the door locked" Ricky smiled as he ripped off his shirt. "Now
Joey I'm going to have fun with you."

"NO! JC, JUSTIN HE" Joey started to scream but was slapped in the face by
Ricky.

Ricky chuckled as he climbed on top of Joey.

****

 JC and Justin heard their mate cry for help. They were at the door
pounding. "JOEY! OPEN UP!"

"Please help!"

"Damnit it's locked" JC growled as he tried pounding on it.

"I have a screwdriver" Lance said. "It should help"

Justin took it and began to work the lock.

JC looked as he most of all were going to claw his way through the door
with his own hands. "Would you hurry up, Justin?"

"I'm getting there," Justin mumbled, "almost there...just give me a minute
more..." "We don't have a fucking minute!" JC nearly screamed. "Just get
that damn door open."

Inside the room, Joey was very much agreeing with
JC. Open. The. Door. Now. Desperately fighting Ricky's hands, he managed to
lash out, hitting the older man squarely in the nose.

"Fuck!" the darker man cried and fell back as he clutched his nose. "You
broke my nose, you little..." Seeing a chance to get away now, Joey kicked
out, making the other loose his balance.

 Then he scrambled to his feet and made a break for the door. Outside he
could her JC and Justin's voices, something scraping against the lock.

 "Who the hell would put a lock on the door to a nursery?" he
absentmindedly thought.

 Almost there.

 Then out of nowhere a pair of hands violently connected with his back,
pushing him forward.

 The floor slipped out from under him, Joey stumbled forward. Then the
hands were there again, forcing him to step forward. Then he lost his
balance and fell.

Something sharp bit into the side of his body, he felt his head slam into
something that was rough and edgy. Then the world ran away from him in a
rush of sparkles.

Slowly the other man in the room got backed away a little. The brown-hair
man in front of him was laying on his back in front of the fireplace. His
head was bleeding from where he had hit the metal edge. "Well, little
Joseph," Ricky mused. "Looks like I won't be having any fun with you after
all tonight." He shook his head.

 Looking back to the door, he sighed. "I have to talk to Johnny about us
getting another place. I won't be able to enjoy myself, with those people
making all that noise. And I'm sure Johnny wouldn't mind trying out what JC
and Justin finds so irresistible about you either..."

 He paused. "Johnny would probably want that little, blonde angel face
too. I'll admit, he isn't that bad...maybe I'll give him a try." Blowing
the unconscious figure on the floor a kiss, Ricky quickly climbed back out
the window.

 *****

 "Got it!" Justin sighed as the lock finally came off in his hands. It was
getting suspiciously quiet in there now, but Justin didn't want to think
about that. JC pushed the door wide open almost before Justin got out of
the way.

 Chris held Lance back at bit. He was torn between his worry for his friend
and the desire to keep his husband away from the trouble. Neither did he
want to leave him to himself either, after what happened at their old
house.

"Oh my God!" they could hear JC's scared voice from inside the
nursery. "Justin, call an ambulance!"

"What?" Justin weakly said. Then he charged through the door. Inside he
found JC, kneeling next to Joey, whom was lying completely still, bleeding
from the head

 Fumbling though the pockets of the light jacket he wore, Justin managed to
get out his cell phone. Too upset too speak, he just looked at it for a
second, before JC gently took it out of his hands.

 Efficiently placing the call, he kept holding Joey's hand, hoping that his
husband was going to be ok.

****

Joey moaned. His head was aching and the twins were demanding him to
relax. His whole body hurt.

 He opened his eyes to find his fathers standing over him with his husbands
on the other side. "Hey, where's the party."

"Oh baby" Phil said. "you're okay."

"I hurt. My head hurts" Joey complained. "MY body hurts but otherwise I'm
fine."

"What are we going to do with you Joey" Phil Edwards smiled.

"Love me" Joey smiled.

"We do love you honey" JC said as he kissed his husbands forehead.

"Yes we do"

"Okay Joseph you're going on complete bed rest for a month" Phil said.

"A MONTH!" Joey whined.

"Dear god help us now" Justin said.

"One month. You're little ones aren't really happy with you at the
moment. One month. Besides it should be time for your sonogram and check
up" Phil said.

"A month" Joey whined. "I wanna help lance with the nursery. You said I
could do the nursery."

"You can still help with the nursery honey. you're four months
pregnant. You have plenty of time. Besides You can sit and let your
husbands do the work" Phil smiled.

"No" Both JC and Justin whimpered. "Lance is Satan himself when it comes to
decorating. Please anything but that!"

"Baby furniture isn't that heavy" Joe chuckled.

Joey looked at his huge stomach. "I'm fat."

"Justin say one word and I swear I'll hurt you" JC said looking at Justin.

"I wasn't gonna say it" Justin protested.

"I know but just don't say anything." JC said.

"fine"

"Hon, you're having two babies grow inside you. It's natural to grow big"
Phil said softly.

"really"

"really" Joe smiled.

"Okay"

"How?"

 "I'm his father. I went through the same thing" Phil chuckled.

"Did they catch him?" Joey asked.

"Who?" JC asked.

"Ricky. He was in the nursery. He climbed up. He can get in" Joey started
to panic.

 "Easy" Philip Edwards said.

Joey took deep calming breaths to calm himself down. He smiled and relax.

"Actually" JC smiled. "They caught the son of a bitch as he escaped the
gate. One of the neighbors saw him go in and called the police. By the time
he left the police was already there."

 Joey smiled. "Good."

"Okay Joe. It's time for you and Lance to start taking Lamaze. You only
have five months of pregnancy left. You don't want to go in labor
unprepared and screaming bloody murder at your husbands." Phil said.

"Yes sir"

 "We like to stay in one piece" Justin added.

 Joey smiled. "Can I go home now?"

"In a few days. we just want to make sure nothing goes wrong" Philip
replied.

 "Bummer" Joey sighed.

As Joey were being examined by the doctor, Chris and Lance were waiting for
them in the waiting room.

"I can't understand why Joey never told any of us about Ricky," Lance said,
leaning into Chris' comforting embrace. "He must have gone through hell
with that psycho."

"I don't know either, sweetie," Chris said. "I was so surprised when he
told us the other night, if he hadn't said anything, I guess I never would
have thought that something like that had ever happened to him."

Lance snuggled closer to Chris. "I'm just glad that they caught the
guy. Hopefully they'll lock him away somewhere icky, and throw the key
away."

Chris had to laugh. "Showing off your evil side again, honey? For what it's
worth I think they ougtha lock him in a cage with a dozen hungry 'gators
and then let us watch them eat him up."

"I think," Lance replied. "I think that my evil side has got nothing on
your evil side. And I'm gonna bring the 'gators if you get the cage."

 Hugging Lance tightly, Chris said: "That's a deal, sweetheart."

***** The doctor straightened his back. "All right, young man. You can go
home. But remember that you just took a bad blow to the head and your
pregnancy is already a difficult one. You are to rest and stay completely
away from stress of any kind. You got me?"

 "I got you," Joey said, struggling to get up. "A little help her, guys?"
JC took his hand and placed his other hand on Joey's back to help him up.

"I want to go home now," Joey muttered. A strange feeling passed through
him. The thought of going back into that nursery scared him. Even if they
had gotten Ricky, Joey still felt like his shadow was looming over his
life.

Getting to his feet, he walked out to where Chris and Lance waited. Justin
and JC at his sides. After saying goodbye to his father and getting told to
stay in bed, take care of himself and let JC and Justin take care of him,
Phil left.

"Hmmm," Joey said to himself. "I can take the Justin and JC-doing
everything I want part, but other wise I am going to be soooo bored!"

 **** It was dark before they came back. "You're going straight to bed,
young man," JC said sternly. Joey batted his eyelashes at him. "Will you
come with me?" JC smiled. "Of course, love."

 An hour later they were all in their beds. Joey in the middle with JC and
Justin competing in who could hug him the hardest.

"I like the whole cuddling thing, you two," Joey said in the end. "But you
have to let me breath! You're suffocating me here!"

They both giggled. "Sorry, angel," Justin said, "it's just that your so
damn squeezable!" JC snuggled up to him and hid his face in Joey's hair. "I
love you, honeybear," he sighed.

"That's it," Joey said. "I'm cutting you two of sugar right now."

As he had expected that earned him to half snorts, half giggles, and he was
back to being cuddled breathless again.

In the end they both fell asleep, leaving Joey to his own thoughts. They
had talked about this at this hospital, but he still didn't feel
comfortable sharing this. He had a hard enough time telling his parents.

Quietly sneaking out of bed, he left the room and walked down the hall
towards the nursery.

A faint moonlight iced the hall in a silvery light, making everything
appear the weakest color of blue. Stopping in front of the door Joey raised
his hand to turn the doorknob.

The door opened without a sound, and he looked into the nursery.

 The window was closed now and he could see the room was empty. Still he
couldn't make himself enter the room. Silently studying the room, his eyes
fell on the floor in front of the fireplace.

In front of the white marble fireplace there was a lot of large dark
stains. Feeling a chill creep up his spine, Joey realized that it had to be
his own blood. Slamming the door shut he rushed back to their bedroom and
climbed back into bed.

Almost immediately two pair of warm strong arms surrounded him, and he
closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep.

****

"Honey, we could move the nursery" JC said over breakfast.

Joey looked up from the little table. "You know about last night?"

"Yes we woke up after you left. Baby, we don't want you to go back if you
don't want to." Justin said.

"But the room is bigger than the rest of them. It can fit three cribs in
there. Besides it's closer to the master bedrooms" Joey said softly.

"We want you to feel safe and secure" Lance added. "We don't have to have
the babies together?"

"But I liked the idea. Besides it would prevent a lot of bumping into each
other at three o'clock in the morning for feedings or changing" Joey
suggested.

"Joe, take your time okay" Chris smiled at his friend.

"Yeah we still have at least two months before the nursery has to be
finished" Lance smiled. "We can go over some patterns."

"Oh lord" Chris replied as he rolled his eyes.

"Oh shut up" Lance suggested.

"Can we do that?" Joey asked.

"Of course" Lance giggled. "After Breakfast. I have lots of patterns."

"I've heard there's a BSB nursery pattern" Joey chuckled. "Let's go with
that."

 "In an NSYNC house I think not!" Justin, JC, and Chris replied.

"How bout this. We invite the boys over for a barbecue today. Josh and
Justin can move Joey into the living room. Fold the couch out into a bed
and you and Lance can look at patterns for our little ones" Chris smiled.

"You know Lance. For once Chris has a great idea" Joey chuckled.

"You're right."

 "HEY what do you mean for Once!"

"Oh WE Don't want to go there Chris" Joey replied. "I have so many I can
get you with."

"Joey's right hon" Lance giggled. "Same here."

"I'm being ganged up on and one of them is my own husband!" Chris replied
in a dramatic way.

"Let's do it" JC said. "It'll be a Boys and NSYNC day"

"I love it" Justin replied.

"Oh sure let's do something fun when Joey has to be off his feet for a
month" Joey said in a mock hurt tone.

"We love you" JC smiled as he picked up Joey. "Oh god..you're heavy."

"Oops"

"He...heavy" Joey sniffled. "I'm heavy...did he say I'm heavy."

Lance lips started to tremble. "Yes..he did."

"Oh no" Chris replied.

"Honey I didn't mean it like that" JC said.

"How did you mean it" Joey pouted.

"Um.."

"He's implying we're fat" Lance started to wail.

"We can't help it" Joey started to sob. "We know we're fat and ugly but you
don't have to remind us."

 Justin and Chris stared at Josh. "Thank you Data."

 Baby, I didn't mean it!" JC tried. "you're not fat, either one of you!"

"Then why did you say it?" Joey sniffled. "I didn't technically say it..."
The looks he received from Chris and Justin made him shut his mouth in a
hurry.

 "OK, I am an idiot." Lance and Joey looked at each other. Then Joey looked
at JC. "Go on."

"I'm an Inconsiderate, insensitive jerk."

"Yes," Joey said.

"I am totally worthless of having such a wonderful husband and such a great
friend."

"You're getting there," Joey said, Lance hid his face in Chris sweater to
keep the other from seeing his smile.

"I am a total ass, and I should beg for forgiveness on my knees."

"You said it, not me," Joey said, a familiar twinkle in his eyes. "You are
not going to make me beg on my knees, are you, Joey?"

 Looking thoughtfully at him, Joey paused. "I might."

"You're really going to make me beg on my knees." "I haven't decided yet,"
Joey said.

Dropping to his knees, JC sighed. "I might as well beat you to it. Will you
ever forgive me??"

 Then he couldn't stop the giggling. "You should have seen your face right
now, Joey..." Trying to keep a straight face, Joey answered: "I'd much more
be looking at yours..."

"does that mean that I'm forgiven?" JC asked with a sweet smile. "Oh all
right!" Joey answered. "Otherwise you're going to be crawling after me on
your knees all day and that would just look stupid."

"Meanie," JC muttered and got to his feet. "Oh no, honey, I didn't say
that, I didn't mean that!!!" he frantically said as he saw Joey's large
brown eyes start to tear up again.

Then Joey fell over in his chair laughing. Then Justin and Chris joined in.

"Aww," JC said. "You tease!" "Hey," Joey said. "I am not a tease!" Sitting
back down JC sent Joey a loving look. "I'm never ever going to figure you
out, you know that?"

"That's the way I want it," Joey answered. "It keeps the excitement in the
relationship."

JC gave up.

"So, are we going to invite all the 'boys over lather?" Chris
asked. "Yeah," Justin asked, "just not AJ...I still can't believe he did
what he did..."

 "We don't know why he did it yet," Joey said softly. "We should at least
give him a chance to explain himself." Lance looked curiously at Joey.

"Joey, he was in on nearly ruining Justin, JC and your wedding. And you
want to give him a chance to explain?"

 Joey shrugged. "Come on, we all knew him before that. And he never did
anything like this before. I just want to hear him tell me why he did
it..."

 "Tell you what," Justin said. "I'll call them after and hear if they have
heard anything from AJ. And I'll ask if they wanna come over too."

The others agreed, JC a little surprised over that Justin not going against
it all together and mumbling something about strangling the darker man all
together.

 They finished up breakfast and JC ignored all of Joey's protests over
being sent back into bed. Putting his hand on Lance's shoulder, he guided
the blonde towards Joey. "Here, take Lance with you. He'll keep you
company."

 "where are you going with my husband?" Chris wanted to know. "Just
borrowing him," JC smiled. "He can keep Joey entertained. That way Joey
won't whine and Lance doesn't make us redecorate the whole house."

 "You know that you're living dangerously now, right? Justin looked at JC.

 JC planted a kiss on Joey's cheek and patted Lance on the head. "Off you
go, get some rest." Before either of them could answer they were ushered
away into Joey, JC and Justin's bedroom and tucked into bed.

 As JC rushed out again, Joey looked at Lance. "What just happened?" "He's
your husband," Lance replied, "So you oughta know. And I really don't have
a clue."

 As JC came back into the kitchen, Chris sent him a questioning
look. "Wanna tell me why you practically ran off with my husband there,
Joshua?"

 "I just wanted them both out of the way," JC explained. "Seeing as there's
been so much bad stuff going on lately, I want to do something nice for
them. Something to surprise them with."

 "I like the idea of that," Chris smiled. "So, what did you have in mind?"
Gathering his two friends around the table, JC leaned in. "This, is what I
have planned..."

*****

"What do you think of this one?" Lance asked Joey.

"it's cute but I dunno" Joey said.

"We'll come back to that later. I'll put it in the maybe pile" Lance said.

The door opened and both turned to the door. "How are our husbands?" Chris
and Justin asked.

"Happy" Joey said.

"You still looking at patterns for the nursery?" Chris asked.

"Yep"

 "Bored?"

"Nope"

"That was over two hours ago. Come up with anything" Justin asked.

"Well we have a possibility pile, a god what the hell where they thinking
pile, and a maybe pile" Lance grinned.

"We have lots of other patterns to look at to" Joey said as he wrinkled his
nose.

"I would die of boredom" Justin said.

"That's why you're a dominant male. You have no patience" Joey chuckled.

"So what brings our sneaky men to our room. And now we're not having group
sex" Lance replied.

"Well hell that's why we were here" Chris pouted.

 "Men" Joey replied as he rolled his eyes.

"Seriously we've brought you some lunch" Justin smiled as he and Chris set
some trays in front of them.

"Oooh goodie" Lance replied. "Food"

"I'm starving" Joey smiled as he lift the cover. "Ooh it looks
good. Everything covered in Chocolate sauce."

"Oh yummy" Lance replied.

"I'm going to be sick" Justin whispered.

"me too. I don't like their chocolate covered craving."

"On me it's not that bad but on hamburgers and French fries. Gross" Justin
said as he made a face.

"So what are you three doing downstairs. Not having wild sex with
prostitutes are ya?" Joey asked as he munched on a French fry.

"No we're not selling our bodies" Chris replied.

"I bet you they are" Lance grinned.

"Seriously what are you doing downstairs?" Joey asked.

"It's a surprise?" Chris smiled. "We'll leave you two to think evil
thoughts of us."

"Hey!" both protested.

"In a couple of hours" Justin said as he shut the door.

"I hate them" Joey frowned. "You know I'm gonna be all over the place dying
to know."

"Same here" Lance said.

"What do you think about looney tunes" Joey asked. "It seems to fit this
place perfectly."

"Hey I like that idea" Lance said as they looked at the Loony tunes
pattern. "It's cute and all the looney tunes as babies are really
adorable."

 "We can do the room in a baby blue and have boarders of the characters
around the room." Joey smiled.

"I've read somewhere if you have the room with scenes and such that it
stimulates the child's brain" Lance said. "maybe we can have clouds on the
wall with birds flying in the air."

"Ooh how about a ocean scenery?" Joey asked.

"Maybe when their older" Lance asked.

"So we agree on Looney Tunes?" Joey asked.

"What about Disney?" Lance asked.

"Ooh that's cute to" Joey pouted.

"There's also the Muppet Babies" Lance suggested.

"Looney tunes" both smiled.  <
 "We've finally after hours of researching decided on a theme for the
nursery" Lance chuckled.

 "I can't wait for our babies to come" Joey said as he patted his stomach.

 "Me either. I can't wait to see the ultrasound to see how big our babies
are getting" Lance smiled.

 "Me either. I wonder what the hell our husbands are doing" Joey asked.

 "Probably sell us" Lance laughed as he grabbed a book.

"That's mean true but mean." Joey smiled.

****

"Everything ready?" JC asked.

 "Yep the boys are on the way" Chris said.

"They've really spent two hours?"

"Yep" Justin answered.

"So what was the word about AJ?" Chris asked.

"AJ was being blackmailed by Johnny. He had to say it or the press would
find out about his whores." JC said.

 "Oh shit that sucks" Justin replied. "SO what do we do?"

"Do we forgive and forget?" Chris asked.

 They both turned to JC. "I'm not sure," the blue-eyed man said slowly. "I
have to be honest with you, I'm still majorly pissed of at him. After what
Johnny tried to do to Brian and Nick...and then AJ goes and helps him?"

"I know, Chris said. "But if Joey can give him another chance, then maybe
we should too..."

"Well, he is coming today," JC said, "he was off to see his family or
something? So I have some time to thin-k."

 "Off to happier thoughts," Justin said. "Is everything ready outside?"

"Almost," Chris said. "I'm just gonna set out the flowers and put the
switch to the lights in...then we should be ready for a go."

 *****

"I'm bored," Joey sighed. "And I want to know what those three are up too!"
Putting the book he had aimlessly flipped through aside, Lance nodded. "I
don't like it when Chris gets all sneaky and secretive like that...he pick
it up from your two, mind you."

"My airheads are not sneaky," Joey protested. "Oh ok, maybe just a
little...remind me to remove that little nasty habit from them."

 "Will do," Lance giggled. They both could hear noises coming from
downstairs. "What are they doing?" Lance said, "They're planning something,
I just know it."

 Joey leaned back in the bed, wincing a little as the soft pressure of the
pillow hit the cut in his head. It had been closed with five stitches, and
now it itched so much that he thought he was going crazy.

Lance who was getting restless, sat up, hugging his knees.

"You feeling sleepy?" he asked Joey. "A little," Joey had to admit.

"But I don't want to go to sleep, then JC and Justin are just going to let
me sleep and I'll have to spend the whole day in here. And I don't want
that."

Twenty minutes later, in spite of his own words, Joey was fast
asleep. Lance was somewhat amused and still bored.

================
End
Chapter 12
================