This is yet another story about those hunky boys of the Backstreet Boys and 'N Sync written by a straight woman. Therefore, please excuse my writings if they appear to be a bit screwed due to my lack of knowledge. This story is a work of FICTION (note the term FICTION- I can't stress this enough) and is purely written for the sole purpose of entertainment and enjoyment. Yes! Entertainment. That's all... think of it like a movie. You watch for entertainment and you read for entertainment. These events did not happen to the best of my knowledge and therefore actions taken in this story do not reflect the true nature of the characters involved. This story does not imply anything about the sexuality of the person(s) involved. And if you're an underage teenie or do not wish to read about male/male sexual relationships, this is now the time to shut your lap-top as there will be sexual explicit scenes throughout. Proceed with your own risk. Enough with the warnings, now on with the story.

It was heaven as everything was drowned in egg white. A gentle breeze caressed the flowing white curtains. Soft, delicate petals of an almond tree-origin momentarily settled across the floor in a circular pattern. The white tiled floor blended into the white walls leaving an absence of contrast. If only through heaven's eyes, Justin would be lying next to him. An image emanated in the corner of Brian's eyes. Brian squinted. The heavenly lights were too intense to his sensitive blues. He raised his hand over his eyes, shielding himself from the blinding light.

"Why? Oh, Why?! Did you fuckin' tease me so much with him and then let me die without fuckin' him?!" Brian cursed the Lord for the bad cards that were dealt to him. For the past five years now, he'd been infatuated with Justin and now that he was dead, there was no chance in hell Brian would be able to consummate their "relationship".

Before long, Brian cowered under his sheets, afraid of the ascending image. He held tightly to his sheets to protect himself. "I'm sorry. Please, Lord, forgive me. I won't ever speak to you using such vulgar language. Please, forgive me." Brian's apology went ignored as the sheets were pulled away from his face. The fear in his eyes transcended to a smile on his face. It was his cousin, Kevin, draped in a white suit.

"Save it for when you really get to heaven." Kevin said.

"Since when did you wear white?" Brian asked.

"Well, I just thought it would be a nice change of pace to wear something other than black and grey." Kevin answered, sitting next to his cousin. "You've been out of it for the past few days. Doctor said you can leave as early as tomorrow."

"Kevin, why didn't you just let me die in the streets?"

"Because you're my cousin and I love you." Kevin responded. "Besides you should feel extremely lucky that some `N Sync fanatic found you and alerted people about your condition. Otherwise, you would never get to fuck him even if he was lying next to you."

"I guess you're right, Kevin."

"Of course, I am." Kevin responded with a smile on his face, relieved to see his cousin was doing much better despite his long-standing heart condition.

The events of the last few days proved that life is full of uncertainties. Brian had scared his bandmates a few years ago when he collapsed during a concert backstage, prompting an emergency heart operation. They were told then that he would be alright and that he would be able to live a healthy normal life after the operation. Little did they know that his condition would return to haunt them. Despite the severity of his condition, everyone with the exception of Kevin, appeared to take the news quite well, especially AJ, who even rejoiced upon hearing the news. Brian suffering from an acute myocardial infarction could not have come in a more convenient time. While Brian lay helpless in the confinements of his hospital room, AJ and his posse were busying themselves with the task of designing the CD jacket for their new double album.

"In Loving Memory of Brian Littrell." AJ wrote on the last page, then offering the rough draft to his boyfriend to check for the correct spelling of his bandmate's name.

"AJ, Brian is not dead." Nick answered hastily.

"I know." AJ said. "That's why we have an alternate back cover." AJ said, showing his boyfriend another rough draft of the jacket. AJ put down the cover and relaxed on the sofa, stretching his arms and hitting Howie in the back of his head. As usual, no apology was uttered. "Can you imagine the publicity from this?" AJ closed his eyes momentarily to daydream what possible benefits they may reap from such an unfortunate incident.

"I guess you're right, AJ." Nick began saying, "I mean take Together for instance…that Q-T kid suffered some life-threatening disease and look at his followers. Maybe I should get disease. That way I'll definitely get all the fans possible. Of course, nothing that will make me die. But something serious enough to get people to feel sorry for me. Maybe next time, they won't attack me so much for making fun of overweight fans and handi-capped fans."

"Together is a fuckin' mockery of us. They're fake." AJ glared into his boyfriend's dull blue eyes.

"Sorry. I keep forgetting that I should think first before speaking." Nick quickly apologized.

"Better yet, next time, sweetie, try not to think. God knows you must save the little defected brain cells you have." AJ's comment sent Nick running upstairs as well as his tears.

Howie eyes followed Nick up the stairs. Tears began to form in his eyes as well just seeing the pain Nick had to endure every time he was with AJ. He turned to look at AJ who had resumed to his work on the cover design, not acknowledging the extent of his words. Howie had enough. He got up and began making his way toward the stairs when the front door suddenly swung opened.

In the doorway, Kevin stood.

"How's Brian?" Howie quickly leaped over to Kevin, bringing him into a warm embrace.

"Good." Kevin answered, slightly pushing Howie out of his way so he could meet with AJ in the living quarter. "Brian was released today, not that you care to know. The doctor has advised him to take it easy. He believed that the stress was too much for Brian. Therefore Brian and I have decided to return to Kentucky for the remaining of our break." Kevin explained in further details of their plans.

"You can't do that!" AJ shrieked, stomping his feet. "We have a fuckin' album to record. How in the world are we going to break `N Stink's record without Brian?"

"We can go to Kentucky." Howie suggested.

"Shut up! No one asked for your input." AJ snapped.

"I don't care what you say, AJ. Brian and I are catching a flight to Kentucky. It's your choice whether or not you want to join us in Kentucky to work on the new album." Kevin explained. "Good-bye, everyone."

"But where you guys live don't even have a store that sells clothes made from real endangered animals." AJ whined as Kevin walked away.

"Good-bye."

At the advice of Brian's cardiologist, Kevin and Brian had decided to return to the small Kentucky town where they had taken residency during their breaks from touring and promotion and recording. The folks in their small little town could care less who the Backstreet Boys were. No, they did not live in obscurity. The townspeople knew the Backstreet Boys cousins too well. Throughout this small town, Kevin and Brian had become known as the Ren and Stimpy of the Backstreet Boys. This came as a shocker to most outside of town, but not unexpected especially since after Brian and Kevin moved into the small Kentucky town, Brian had made his presence miserably known to everyone. From the crack of dawn to the wee hours of the night, Brian was a living hell. He would wake up earlier than most and hollered at chirping birds. After which, he would jog around town to cool off, only to somehow get thrown in some confrontation with either the children or their pets. Now, children would cry upon seeing Brian's figure approaching them. Pets would seek refuge in their homes. Mothers would chase him with their brooms and fathers would do the same with their shotguns.

Upon returning to their new home, Brian and Kevin discovered their home was up for sale. Infuriated, Brian and Kevin marched inside their house and chased the realtor and the impending home buyers out on the street. Both parties exchanged a mouthful of profanity before Brian and Kevin returned to their home, slamming the door shut behind them.

Despite the slick cover up performed by the Firm Management, news of Brian's rumored death soared onto airwaves across town. The townspeople celebrated this monumental event by holding a mini-festival in the orchards behind Brian and Kevin's country house. After which, they were put the house on sale. However, such news did not reach Justin. JC along with Lance, Chris and Joey, gathered around a coffee table upon which a newspaper lay, discussing whether or not they should tell Justin. After countless amount of persuasion, JC succumbed to his bandmates' tactics and agreed that it would be in Justin's best interest to not know. After Lance, Chris and Joey left the room, Justin bolted out of the bathroom. His hair wet from the one hour long shower. JC glanced at his watch. In the seven years that JC had known Justin, he had never recalled him spending no more than his average 5-minute shower. Of course, there was that time when for an entire month in November of 1995 that he seemed to spend half of the day in the bathroom- the month after JC had discovered Justin hiding inside a dark closet despite the presence of spiders. He was stripped away of all clothing. Signs of sexual assault or even raped scarred Justin's nude body. JC quickly shook the thoughts when Justin appeared before his eyes.

"I'm ready to go now." Justin said.

"Are you sure you're ready?" JC asked. "Are you sure you don't want to double check in the mirror or something? I just don't want to walk halfway down the hall and have you come running back inside to change your clothes because the vibrant red Tommy shirt clashes with your blue eyes."

As soon as the words slipped past JC's lips, so did the tears from Justin's eyes. Of all people, JC should know Justin the best. There was no denying that Justin was concerned about his appearance, but by no means was he superficial or arrogant. He was just so used to having people tell him every day of his life that he was beautiful. Something that bothered him constantly since he always felt the need to meet their expectations of beauty even to the point of restricting himself to a diet consisting of only proteins and carbohydrates despite his growing body.

JC wanted to apologize, but it was too late. Justin had darted into the bathroom and quickly soon thereafter, all of `N Sync surrounded JC, breathing heavily over him. They abandoned JC to his thoughts to comfort Justin. Justin was seen in front of the mirror. The water was left running to merge into a small river of tears. With his bare left hand, he wiped away the tears from his eyes and massaged the side of his face. In his right hand, light reflected off a shiny silver object. He held the metal blade in his hand. What he planned to do next was uncertain, even to himself. Chris, not wanting to take any chances, charged at Justin.

"JC, get your ass in here!" Chris shrieked at the top of his lungs.

Chris grabbed his arms and held them in place behind his back. Justin let out a slight whimper of pain as he felt the blade slit open the flesh of his palm. JC rushed into the bathroom and pried Chris off Justin. Upon seeing the fresh droplets of blood on the bathroom floor, JC attacked Chris, sending Chris into the bathtub.

"What the hell happened?" JC demanded to know, slamming Chris's head against the basin of the tub. "Why is Justin bleeding?"

"You tell me." Chris was able to get loose to face JC, who had guilt written all over. Chris diverted his attention from JC to Justin. "What were you thinking, Justin? When will you start thinking your age? You know that if that face of yours get ruined, there won't be any more magazine covers, and that will just end up hurting `N Sync."

"Chris!" Lance and JC hollered at Chris simultaneously as Justin cried into his bloody hands. Lance quickly took him into his arms but directed him to JC's waiting arms.

JC wrapped his arms around Justin, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Why did you do that?" JC asked, almost whispering, as the others looked on.

"You always see as this superficial person who only thinks about how he looks and nothing else." Justin cried further into JC's chest.

"No. No. That's not true." JC consoled him, blowing the tears away from his eyes. "Because you don't have to think about how you look. Justin, you're the most beautiful being to grace this earth. Just look at the posters and signs we see at every concert. You know- "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on Justin"."

"They're just kids."

"But they know. I know. Justin," JC paused to gaze into Justin's illuminating blue eyes, "At the risk of sounding cheesy, Justin, God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You."

"JC."

"Shh…" JC placed his lips on Justin's. The cheers in the room reached decibel levels. Everyone in the tight confinements was overwhelmed with joy, including Lance. Justin couldn't help, but smile a little.

"Ouch." Justin shrieked when he realized the sharp pain as JC squeezed his hands.

"Sorry, baby." JC said. "Let's clean you up. Don't want to see the Lakers looking like that, do we?"

"No." Justin shook his head.

As expected the Lakers buried their opponents. There was no point to the basketball game. Chris was more bored than ever, wishing he had gone with Danielle to a fashion show instead. Lance, not being an avid basketball, finally understood the game when the third quarter ended. Joey could care less about the game. He was salivating to the scantily clad cheerleaders on the floor. Many times, the men of `N Sync had to use force to restrain Joey from attacking the women on the floor. No one was tuned into the game with the exception of Justin, who was transfixed on the game from the moment of tip-off to the closing seconds of the game. JC, although present, was enthralled by Justin's presence. This was the first night of many nights to come that Justin was truly content. Seeing Justin's enthusiasm for life, again, brought JC to near tears of joy. Nothing could be more satisfying that seeing the person you loved most happy.

After a quick exchange of hellos with the Lakers and dragging Joey out of the women's locker room, they piled into a waiting limo. Their next destination- a nice restaurant. Not just any nice restaurant, but their Le Bistro. While the others remained on the lower level, JC led Justin to the second floor to their special table. For the next two hours, JC was blessed with Justin's beautiful smile. He couldn't stop talking about the basketball game. They talked. They laughed. They even held hands under the table. After dinner, they stopped by the theatre to catch a late night flick. "Love and Basketball" was the only movie during this time. It was destiny. JC couldn't help it but think it was meant to be for him and Justin to find each other, again. If there was anything that could make Justin smiled, it was basketball. The boy still harbored dreams of becoming a basketball player one day. He even acquired more North Caroline Tarheels attire than the entire team put together. Chris would always pester him, teasing him that no matter how much Tarheels attire he wore, it wouldn't make him part of the team..

However, their perfect night came to crashing halt when a sarcastic remark made by none other than Mr. Chris Alan Kirkpatrick himself. Half way through the movie as JC slept, Justin became teary eyed. Yes, he was that sensitive. He began to cry silently at first, but the tears were hard to hide even in the dark.

"Oh- c'mon, Justin. Must you cry at every movie we see." Chris, already in a bad mood all day, lashed out at Justin one last time. Justin began to cry even more.

"Looks like it's that time of the month, again." Joey commented as he crunched on some more popcorn.

"Great. This is just great, Justin. You not only have to look the best out of us, now you are the most sensitive one. Wait until Bop published this one. Then the four fans Joey and I share will be yours, too." Chris said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Must you always hog the god damn camera?"

"No." Justin managed to murmur before running out into the night.

Soon thereafter, JC woke up to an empty theatre. Everyone had left, running after Justin. The faster they moved, the faster he moved. They unanimously agreed to simply follow him until he got too tired to walk anymore. Justin ignored the army of friends that followed him. As he walked, he realized how much he enjoyed walking. How much he enjoyed the cool spring breeze caressing his face. He could smell doughnuts baking away in some distant bakery. And the coffee brewing for the nocturnal beings. He loved the neon lights that brighten the city night life. One by one, the men of `N Sync dropped like flies, yet, Justin continued to march down the LA streets like an Energizer bunny. The first to go was none other than Joey. Justin strolled past a strip club. He rounded the corner and noticed a pair of steps missing. Joey had slipped into the club, but Lance and Chris continued. Half an hour later, Chris had to stop. His legs fatigued easily, sending Chris to the ground. Justin was about ready to cross the street when he felt a hand pulled him back. It was JC. With the JC's entrance, Lance must disappeared.

"Justin, please. In a few hours, the sun will rise. You know about me and sleep. You don't want me to suddenly slip into my narcoleptic street in the middle of a congested intersection, do you?" JC said.

"Josh, why does Chris have to be so mean sometimes?" Justin asked.

"Because it's the time of the month again." JC hushed, gathering all his strength to contain his brewing laughter. Apparently, Justin didn't find his joke half as amusing, but he smiled nonetheless. God only knew what JC would come up next to make him smile.

"Let's go now." JC said.

"Where to?"

"Home."

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