Chapter 11

"Why did you say that to him?" At least he has the decency to look ashamed, Joey thought to himself.

Chris looked down. "I didn't really mean it," Chris said. "I was just surprised, and..." He was cut off by the ringing of the phone.

Justin, who'd been silent, stood up to answer it. "Hello?" he waited, and his eyes widened. "Oh, hi Lou." He listened. "Really?" with that, his eyes jumped to life. "Wow! Who?" He waited. "Wow, that's great, thanks," he said, some of the enthusiasm at whatever he'd just heard leaving. "What? No, I'm fine. Really, yeah, I'll tell them. Thanks Lou. Bye."

"Sure Chris," JC began sarcastically. "Especially since our fifth member is NO LONGER HERE!"

JC stood up, disgusted. "You did the same thing his parents did, Chris. You shunned him because of a lifestyle choice. I'm gonna go find him. Anyone wanna join me?" he looked around. Justin looked like he wanted to stand up but decided against it. JC turned around and went out the door.

JC almost ran off the road with the realization of that statement. "You're right," he said. "You're right. What the hell did we all do? It took him so long to open up just a little bit, and he shares that part of his life..." he shook his head. "We've gotta get him."

"I knew it wouldn't work," Lance said to himself. "Why would they accept it?" His ranting were interrupted by a knock on his door. He opened it. "JC. Joey. Hi." He opened the door to allow them in. JC tried not to look at his red rimmed eyes or disheveled hair. "What brings you here?"

"I said I was sorry for making you think I wasn't okay with your sexuality," Joey said. "It just caught me off guard -- all of us off guard, and I was surprised. But it doesn't bother me in the least. It may take a little while to get used to, but I'm okay with it."

Lance stepped over and hugged Joey. It took Joey a second, but he finally wrapped his arms around Lance and hugged him back. "Thanks, man," Lance said.

"I'm sorry too," JC finally said. "It took me by surprise because I didn't expect it. You hid it," he said with a shrug. "I just wanted to let you know."

"Thanks," Lance said, hugging JC. JC hugged him back. "So you're not going to kick me out of the group?" he asked quietly.

Lance stepped away with a big grin. "There's more, isn't there? I can see it in your faces."

"RCA." Lance wasn't exactly sure which one he was talking about, but JC looked excited enough.

"Really? Wow!" he said. JC grinned broadly. "What are we doing here then?" Lance asked. "Let's go...celebrate or something," he said.

The smile dropped from Lance's face. "Sure," he said bravely. "I've dealt with much worse. Trust me on that one."

"Not now. Maybe another time." But probably not, he thought to himself. "But trust me when I say that some people won't hesitate to pick up the nearest weapon and hurl it at you," he said wryly.

"Sure I did. Rocks, sticks, and knives aren't very gentle," he said. Joey put a reassuring arm over his shoulder and the three left Lance's apartment.

"Why did you say that?" Justin asked Chris quietly after the other two had left. "I know you can't be that close minded. You're one of the most open minded people I know."

"It's just weird, ya know? All my life, relationships involving a guy and a girl have been thrown in my face. It'll take some getting used to...but...I don't know," he finished, just as JC and Joey came in, followed by Lance.

JC gave Chris a cold look before turning to Justin. "So what are we doing now?" Lance noticed the look. He pulled JC over to him. "Hey! What the..." Lance ignored him and walked over to Chris, who looked at him a little apprehensively.

"I don't want you two fighting on account of me. I don't want to be the cause of any ruined friendships," he said, coming out of his shy nature. This was a big issue to him; it always had been. He hated fights. Whenever he'd seen wars, he hated watching them and didn't let any of his charges get involved. He hated any kind of fighting in general. "So, apologize, make up, whatever." He looked at both of them sternly.

Lance cut him off with a wave of the hand. "I told you and Joey before, this is far from the worst that has happened to me." The clouding of his eyes wasn't lost on anyone. "Much worse has been said, and much worse has been done. I told you, I don't want to ruin your friendship."

Chris looked at Lance, taking in his red rimmed eyes. He wondered what else had happened. "I'm sorry, JC," he said quietly.

"Now hug and make up," Lance ordered. Joey and Justin stifled grins that only broadened as the two followed his orders and hugged. Lance nodded. "Good," he said firmly. Then he turned away from the two, ignoring the fact that Chris hadn't bothered to apologize to him yet. He didn't want to push it, and anyway, he didn't want one if Chris wasn't serious about it. He looked at Justin. "So...what are we doing now?" he asked, repeating JC's earlier question.

"You can use my extra ones, I don't think I've used them yet," JC offered. "You're only a little smaller than me...kind of."

Lance looked at his back in the mirror. "Some scars never go away," he said softly to himself. He pulled a white wifebeater on. JC's blue swimming trunks were a little big, but not so bad that they were falling down. JC was a skinny guy, Lance mused.

"Yeah," Lance said, opening the door and going down to the pool. He sat down on the edge and watched the other four play around for a bit with a smile on his face. They were doing well. The group was coming together.

Lance shrugged. He was a little apprehensive about going into the pool with the chlorine. Sure he knew how to swim, all kids did when he'd been alive. But the chlorine was a little weird for him.

Lance laughed at them and finally pulled off the wifebeater. He slowly eased his way into the pool. It was cold!

"You take too long," he heard a voice say, and before he could spin around and figure out who it was, there was a weight on his back, pushing him under. He coughed and sputtered on his way up.

"Thanks, Joey," he said. But Joey didn't say anything back. He was just looking at Lance. "Joey? Joey..." He waved a hand in front of his friend's face.

"A cross," Lance said quietly. They'd gotten the attention of the other three now. He heard a "Wow" out of one of them when they saw the scars on his back. One was a simple slash, on his left shoulder. Next to it, there was a jagged zigzag that went all the way across his left shoulder blade. Under both of those was a thin cross.

Lance sighed and jumped out of the pool onto the edge. He looked down for a second before looking upwards. "Remember how I told you that worse has happened?" he directed to JC and Joey. They nodded, and Chris and Justin both remembered him mentioning it. Lance lifted his arms into the air, let them fall back to his side. "That's part of it." He saw their confused looks and elaborated with a sigh. "They're from knives, guys. Knives."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 11 "Chris!" JC exploded once he heard the door shut. It had brought him back into reality. "What?" "Why did you say that to him?" At least he has the decency to look ashamed, Joey thought to himself. "I just..." "Well, because of that, who knows if he's coming back?" Chris looked down. "I didn't really mean it," Chris said. "I was just surprised, and..." He was cut off by the ringing of the phone. Justin, who'd been silent, stood up to answer it. "Hello?" he waited, and his eyes widened. "Oh, hi Lou." He listened. "Really?" with that, his eyes jumped to life. "Wow! Who?" He waited. "Wow, that's great, thanks," he said, some of the enthusiasm at whatever he'd just heard leaving. "What? No, I'm fine. Really, yeah, I'll tell them. Thanks Lou. Bye." "What'd he want?" JC asked quietly. Justin quietly replaced the phone. "We got a record deal," he said. Chris jumped up. "With who?!" "RCA, a part of BMG," he replied. "Wow!" Chris said. "That's awesome," Joey said enthusiastically, but it was subdued. "Cool," JC said. "Aren't you guys excited?" Chris asked. "Sure Chris," JC began sarcastically. "Especially since our fifth member is NO LONGER HERE!" Chris looked down. "Oh." JC stood up, disgusted. "You did the same thing his parents did, Chris. You shunned him because of a lifestyle choice. I'm gonna go find him. Anyone wanna join me?" he looked around. Justin looked like he wanted to stand up but decided against it. JC turned around and went out the door. "Wait." It was Joey. He waited as Joey caught up and they left together. "I can't believe he did that to Lance," JC said. "We didn't help much either, JC," Joey replied. "We all just sat there." JC almost ran off the road with the realization of that statement. "You're right," he said. "You're right. What the hell did we all do? It took him so long to open up just a little bit, and he shares that part of his life..." he shook his head. "We've gotta get him." "I knew it wouldn't work," Lance said to himself. "Why would they accept it?" His ranting were interrupted by a knock on his door. He opened it. "JC. Joey. Hi." He opened the door to allow them in. JC tried not to look at his red rimmed eyes or disheveled hair. "What brings you here?" "Well...um..." JC stammered. "Sorry," Joey interrupted. Lance's head shot over to him. "What?" "I said I was sorry for making you think I wasn't okay with your sexuality," Joey said. "It just caught me off guard -- all of us off guard, and I was surprised. But it doesn't bother me in the least. It may take a little while to get used to, but I'm okay with it." Lance stepped over and hugged Joey. It took Joey a second, but he finally wrapped his arms around Lance and hugged him back. "Thanks, man," Lance said. "I'm sorry too," JC finally said. "It took me by surprise because I didn't expect it. You hid it," he said with a shrug. "I just wanted to let you know." "Thanks," Lance said, hugging JC. JC hugged him back. "So you're not going to kick me out of the group?" he asked quietly. "Of course not," JC answered. Lance stepped away with a big grin. "There's more, isn't there? I can see it in your faces." "You're perceptive," JC grinned. "We got a deal," Joey said. Lance's eyes widened. "We did? With who?!" "RCA." Lance wasn't exactly sure which one he was talking about, but JC looked excited enough. "Really? Wow!" he said. JC grinned broadly. "What are we doing here then?" Lance asked. "Let's go...celebrate or something," he said. "Where?" "I dunno." Joey laughed. But JC frowned. "Are you gonna be okay with Chris?" he asked. The smile dropped from Lance's face. "Sure," he said bravely. "I've dealt with much worse. Trust me on that one." "Wanna talk about it?" Joey asked softly. "Not now. Maybe another time." But probably not, he thought to himself. "But trust me when I say that some people won't hesitate to pick up the nearest weapon and hurl it at you," he said wryly. JC gasped. "Did you...did you ever get hurt?" "Sure I did. Rocks, sticks, and knives aren't very gentle," he said. Joey put a reassuring arm over his shoulder and the three left Lance's apartment. "Why did you say that?" Justin asked Chris quietly after the other two had left. "I know you can't be that close minded. You're one of the most open minded people I know." "I don't know," Chris sighed. Justin looked at him, tilting his head. "I think you do." Chris looked back at him. "Maybe," he sighed. "It's just that..." "What?" "It's just weird, ya know? All my life, relationships involving a guy and a girl have been thrown in my face. It'll take some getting used to...but...I don't know," he finished, just as JC and Joey came in, followed by Lance. JC gave Chris a cold look before turning to Justin. "So what are we doing now?" Lance noticed the look. He pulled JC over to him. "Hey! What the..." Lance ignored him and walked over to Chris, who looked at him a little apprehensively. "I don't want you two fighting on account of me. I don't want to be the cause of any ruined friendships," he said, coming out of his shy nature. This was a big issue to him; it always had been. He hated fights. Whenever he'd seen wars, he hated watching them and didn't let any of his charges get involved. He hated any kind of fighting in general. "So, apologize, make up, whatever." He looked at both of them sternly. JC turned to Lance. "But what he said to you---" Lance cut him off with a wave of the hand. "I told you and Joey before, this is far from the worst that has happened to me." The clouding of his eyes wasn't lost on anyone. "Much worse has been said, and much worse has been done. I told you, I don't want to ruin your friendship." Chris looked at Lance, taking in his red rimmed eyes. He wondered what else had happened. "I'm sorry, JC," he said quietly. "Me too," JC sighed. "Now hug and make up," Lance ordered. Joey and Justin stifled grins that only broadened as the two followed his orders and hugged. Lance nodded. "Good," he said firmly. Then he turned away from the two, ignoring the fact that Chris hadn't bothered to apologize to him yet. He didn't want to push it, and anyway, he didn't want one if Chris wasn't serious about it. He looked at Justin. "So...what are we doing now?" he asked, repeating JC's earlier question. Justin looked at him, a little confused. "Uh...we could go swimming," he said. "Cool!" Joey replied. "Do you have any swimming trunks?" Justin asked curiously. "Um..." Lance frowned. "I don't think so." "You can use my extra ones, I don't think I've used them yet," JC offered. "You're only a little smaller than me...kind of." "I think I will," Lance said with a smile. "Thanks." "Welcome." Lance and JC went up to his room to get them. "You still feel the same way about Lance?" Justin asked Chris. Chris shrugged. Lance looked at his back in the mirror. "Some scars never go away," he said softly to himself. He pulled a white wifebeater on. JC's blue swimming trunks were a little big, but not so bad that they were falling down. JC was a skinny guy, Lance mused. "LANCE! You coming?" Justin called. "Yeah," Lance said, opening the door and going down to the pool. He sat down on the edge and watched the other four play around for a bit with a smile on his face. They were doing well. The group was coming together. "Lance, come in!" Joey yelled. Lance shrugged. He was a little apprehensive about going into the pool with the chlorine. Sure he knew how to swim, all kids did when he'd been alive. But the chlorine was a little weird for him. "Come one, before we pull you!" Justin chimed in. Lance laughed at them and finally pulled off the wifebeater. He slowly eased his way into the pool. It was cold! "You take too long," he heard a voice say, and before he could spin around and figure out who it was, there was a weight on his back, pushing him under. He coughed and sputtered on his way up. "Thanks, Joey," he said. But Joey didn't say anything back. He was just looking at Lance. "Joey? Joey..." He waved a hand in front of his friend's face. Joey shook his head. "What happened to your back?" Lance blanched. He'd forgotten about that. "My back?" "Yeah, there's this slash, then a jagged line, and then right under that, it's a...T?" "A cross," Lance said quietly. They'd gotten the attention of the other three now. He heard a "Wow" out of one of them when they saw the scars on his back. One was a simple slash, on his left shoulder. Next to it, there was a jagged zigzag that went all the way across his left shoulder blade. Under both of those was a thin cross. "What?" Joey asked. "The T. It's a cross." "What are they from?" Lance sighed and jumped out of the pool onto the edge. He looked down for a second before looking upwards. "Remember how I told you that worse has happened?" he directed to JC and Joey. They nodded, and Chris and Justin both remembered him mentioning it. Lance lifted his arms into the air, let them fall back to his side. "That's part of it." He saw their confused looks and elaborated with a sigh. "They're from knives, guys. Knives." With that, he walked back into the house.