Author's Note: Ok, the guys in the chat are making me post this... if you think it sucks, go yell at them... if you think it's good... e-mail me @
way2sarcastic@hotmail.com

By the way: Hi, I'm Willow.

Part 5
 Chris left the shower ten minutes later feeling better than he had in a long time. He felt refreshed from the soothing heat of the water, but that wasn't what had caused his good mood. His headache was gone, completely.  Not to mention...

 Chris closed his eyes and jumped up slightly, settling lightly back onto his feet. His smile grew.

 Chris spread his arms wide and slowly, haltingly, lifted his right foot off of the floor, so that all of his weight rested on his left leg. He hopped up and down a few times. Chris beamed. He couldn't help it. Giddily, Chris ran a few steps and leapt in the air, landing kneeling on the messy bed. He rolled onto his side and began to laugh. He had no idea what was so funny, but he just needed to rid himself of the excess energy.

 "Uhhhh Chris?" Joey called through the door. "Are you okay?"

 "I'm better than okay!" Chris cried back. "I'm Grrrrrrrreat!"

 "Oh god," Chris heard Joey mumble to someone else. "He's doing the cereal thing again." Chris laughed and pulled some clothes out of his suitcase. He dressed quickly, realizing he only had ten minutes left to prepare.

 Suddenly the door flew open, and Joey bounced into the room.

 "Hey Chris Chris!" he cried out.

 Chris cocked an eyebrow. "Let me guess... you ate some of J.C.'s crack for breakfast?"

 Joey snickered. "Nope... Just call me Suga-man!" The 24 year old jumped on the bed with reckless abandon.

 "Oh god I'm gonna be sick," Chris moaned. "All. Over. You!" He screamed and pounced on Joey, dropping a small yellow bottle into his suitcase before he leaped.

~*~*~

 Chris panted slightly as he sucked in a sip of water. Rehearsal had just ended and he felt great.

 "Hey Chris," Wade said, walking up next to him and clapping a hand on the back of the man 12 years his senior. "You looked great today!"

 Chris smiled. "Thanks," he said.

 "Really, that's the best I've seen you in weeks."

 "He's right," Justin said. "Looks like the old man has a second wind."

 "Jus, I swear to god, I am going to set your sorry ass, buck naked, outside in a crowd of twelve year old girls," Chris threatened good naturedly.

 Lance smirked. "Of course, then you'd have to see him nekkid," he pointed out wryly.

 Justin puffed out his chest proudly. "Oh you know everyone wants to see me naked. I'm THE Justin Timberlake! Right Chris?"

 Chris simply shook his head jokingly and walked off. Still, Justin was almost positive he had seen the makings of a scowl on his friend's face.

*~*~*

 Chris sat in the band's dressing room, scarfing down a slice of the pizza he had had brought in.

 "OoOo!" Justin said hungrily, snatching a slice from the plate. He shoved half of the slice into his mouth and chewed loudly.

 Chris grunted and grabbed the pizza box, pulling out of Justin's grasp. "Mine," he said shortly.

 Justin chewed for a few more minutes and then swallowed. "Geez. Didn't yo momma teach you how to share?"

 "Yo momma does enough `sharing' for the both of us," Chris shot back.

 Justin cracked a smile. "Score one," he said, making a hash mark in the air. "At least your wit isn't fading with age."

 "Jujubee, would you just get over yourself?" Chris sighed, grabbing another slice.
 

 "Seriously Chris, you were hot in there today. It's nice to see you back to form," Justin said kindly.

 "Uh, Thanks," Chris said. "Nice to know it was obvious when I wasn't." `He's TRYING to be nice,' Chris's mind argued with him.

 `Well he's not doing a very good job!'

 `What would you like him to say? Chris- let's fuck?'

 `Actually, I would like that. Very much so.'

 "Chris? Hello?" Chris was brought back into reality by Justin's hand waving in front of his face. "oooooookay! I guess you really are losing your mind."

 "Losing?" Chris asked skeptically, cracking a crooked grin.

 "C'mere you," Justin said, smirking.  He grabbed Chris in a headlock and began to administer noogies as Chris struggled in vain.  While Chris was incapacitated, Justin grabbed another slice of pizza and then dragged him out of the room. Chris tried to get away, but it was to no avail- although a guilty part of him took pleasure from the situation. Finally, he succeeded in flipping Justin off of him and onto the sofa of the `toy room.'

 "Hey!" Lance objected loudly. "I'm sleeping here!"

 "So sleep together," Chris shot back. `You'd better fucking not.'

 J.C. leaned his head into the room. "C'mon guys," he said, rolling his eyes at the usual antics. "Time for hackey." Chris rolled his eyes to Justin and the three of them joined J.C. and Joey in the hallway.

~*~*~

 "Oh god," Chris moaned, holding his leg painfully. He was sitting cross-legged in his bunk trying in vain to keep from crying out any louder.

 "We're here!" someone called out as the bus slowed to a stop outside the hotel. Chris sighed in relief and ducked out of the bunk, trying hard not to limp.

 "Justin!" someone screamed loudly as he got off of the bus. Chris grimaced.

 "Do I look like Justin?" he asked sharply.

 "No," the girl snapped back at him. "He's tall, and fit, and good looking!"

 Chris felt someone shoving him along and once he was inside he turned back and scowled at his bodyguard. "What the hell was that all about?" he snapped.

 "That- was about keeping you from a lawsuit. If Justin can get sued for refusing an autograph, I don't want to KNOW what you were gonna say."

 Chris turned back around and stomped away towards the elevator, ignoring his leg. It lasted for a time, until he got into his room. Once there he collapsed onto the floor.  Luckily, his suitcase had been dropped nearby and he unzipped it, throwing clothes around as he searched for what he needed.

 Finally, Chris unearthed it. He popped the lid off of the yellow bottle and greedily swallowed a pill, without water.

 "From now on," he said aloud, "I am keeping you with me." He slipped the bottle into his jacket pocket and waited for the pain to subside.