Chapter 14

"I know," Lance said. He looked around at the others, who were standing around, exhausted. Even Joey looked frustrated. "Give them a break," he sighed. "I'll work through it."

"I'm sorry for making us stay later than we had to...again," Lance said as they waited for the light to change. They were walking back, since Justin's house wasn't far from the place they had rehearsed that day. They had a show at the Hard Rock Cafe the next night, and they were singing Tearin' Up My Heart and I Want You Back, which was huge in Europe. Their album over there was selling well also.

"I don't know what it is," Lance continued. "I just don't get it." The light was green and they started to cross.

"Just try a little harder," Chris pleaded, turning his head to look at Lance. Then something fell out of his pocket, and he bent to pick it up. "I knew there was a hole in this pocket," he muttered. "Hey wait up!" he yelled to the guys, who were already at the other side. They turned, and he saw the look of horror in their eyes right before he heard a loud honk. He spun around and froze.

Suddenly he felt himself pushed out of the way and shoved to the ground. When he finally came to his senses, he saw Lance untangling himself and standing up. The truck had finally screeched to a stop.

"Oh...oh God, Lance..." Chris started. He watched Lance get up and go talk to the driver of the truck, dusting himself off as he went.

"I don't know what happened," the driver said, shaken. "I was driving along, all fine, and then I just lost control...the wheel got stuck and the brakes weren't working...and...oh my God, I'm so sorry..." he looked into Lance's eyes and saw anger. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm so sorry...are you guys okay?"

"We're fine," Lance said abruptly. "You can just go home and forget about this," he said, turning away. He stalked by Chris, still lying bewildered on the ground. Joey went over and helped him up.

Lance turned and looked at them. He was oblivious to the gasp from Justin and JC when they saw the mounting fury in his eyes. "He lost control when his wheel got stuck and the brakes weren't working," he said, his voice strangely calm.

"Angry? I'm not angry," he lied. "I'm just upset and worried that Chris could've gotten hurt. Not...angry..." his gaze went past them and they could see the angry green eyes get even angrier. Then he shook his head and looked at Chris. "You okay?"

"I'm fine...scratches...oh God, Lance, thank you so much, you just saved my life," Chris said, voice choked.

Lance's eyes softened. "You don't have to thank me," he said softly, hugging Chris. "I'm just glad you're okay."

"How did he stop?" Lance shrugged, and Joey could see the anger mounting again in his eyes. "You all right?"

"Right," Joey said. He'd seen that angry look before. Lance was rarely angry. There had only been a few times in the last two years that he'd been angry. But this was different. He'd seen this angry before. He just couldn't remember where.

They all walked in silence, avoiding Lance. He didn't seem to notice. Chris was still shaken up by the whole thing, but Lance didn't seem to care. Almost like...almost like saving someone from an oncoming car was an everyday thing, JC mused.

"Yeah right," he muttered to himself. Then he thought of something and laughed. "Some birthday present THAT would've been, Chris," he said.

Chris saw the humor and a grin cracked his face. "Right," he said. "You're turning twenty-one tomorrow, and I get hit by a car the day before. Gotta love me!"

Lance looked back at them and allowed a smirk to cross his face. Then he frowned, realizing what fell tomorrow besides JC's 21st birthday. It was the 115th anniversary of his death. He sighed, then thought back to the matter at hand. He could guess what had happened. As soon as they reached Justin's house, he waved goodbye to the guys and grabbed his phone. Dialing a number, he jumped into the car.

"Follow him," JC said to Joey. "I don't want him to get hurt. He's not...rational right now, for whatever reason."

"Aight," Joey said, getting into his car. He followed Lance closely. He could see Lance talking animatedly on his phone. They pulled into Lance's driveway, and Joey saw him come out of the car.

"You don't understand," Joey heard him say. "Violet, I need to talk to him. This has got Benny's name written ALL over it...I don't care if he's not there! I need to talk to him NOW. All right, fine. Put Nikolas on instead. Yes. Thanks Vi."

"Nikolas...yes, you saw it, I know you did. Don't say that, I know it was him. Dammit! Sorry...yes I know, sorry. I said SORRY! I won't swear in front of you again, I promise. I know, they're a bad influence. Uh huh," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "But back to the matter at hand...that was no accident, Nikolas, you and I both know it. His tricks aren't funny anymore, Nikolas. Chris could've died today."

That was all Joey heard before Lance went into his apartment. "Damn!" He got into his car and drove off. He would've flipped if he heard Lance's next statement.

"There is no way that the brakes could've broken or the wheel could've stuck on its own, Nikolas. Benny was behind that all the way. He manipulated that innocent guy's truck and tried to kill Chris. It's got his name written all over it, Nikolas! Let me talk to him...THANK YOU!" he said.

"I know you're in here so show yourself," he said. Benny appeared, and Lance turned off his phone. "I know you rigged the truck, Benny, so don't deny it. Why did you try to kill Chris?"

Joey wondered what in the world Lance had been talking about. He knew Lance was angrier about the whole thing than he had let on. Suddenly, he remembered where he'd seen that angry look before. It had been when he first met Lou. Lance had been staring at the wall. Joey screeched the brakes on, doing a U-turn. He ignored the honks of the pissed off drivers he cut off. He squealed into the lot, haphazardly parking the car, and ran up to Lance's door. Lance was still on the phone.

"Don't try to lie, Benny. You've never been able to lie to me, and you can't now." Lance's voice was angry, yet controlled, Joey mused. Lance snorted in response to what the person said.

"You. Don't kill. That's a new one." He paused. "I'll bet. But why?" He paused, then laughed. "A birthday present for JC?" Joey's eyes widened. "Boy, I'm glad we were never friends, Benny. Your gifts suck." He stopped and listened. "Another reason?" More anger crept into his voice. "What, pray tell, would that be?" An eyebrow on Joey's face shot up. Pray tell? Lance continued and Joey listened.

"And trust me...if it's what I think..." Lance stopped, and when he began again, Joey could hear the fury in his voice. "We both know that, Benny. You DON'T need to bring it up. I KNOW how long it's been. I think you should leave before I say OR do something we'll both regret." Lance stopped again. "NOW, Benny."

Joey could hear his sigh of relief after Benny hung up. So he thought. Then the phone rang. "What?" Lance snapped. "Oh, it's you, sorry JC." Joey chuckled silently. Then he fell silent when he heard next. "Yeah, I'm fine...Joey? No, he hasn't been here..." Joey's eyes widened, and he decided it would probably be a good time to knock. "Oh, that might be him, hang on a sec."

Lance opened the door. "Hey Joey. Yeah, it's him, JC. No, you didn't send him over to ask me if I wanted to go out tonight," Lance said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Bull, you sent him to make sure I got here okay without killing anyone, right? Uh huh. Thought so." Joey laughed. "You can't fool me, JC, you can try, but you can't," Lance chuckled.

"Yeah, sure," he responded. "Joey, you wanna go? I'm assuming you didn't know about this little outing...Oh, and JC says that you'd better say you knew," Lance nodded.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 14 **~1997~** "Lance, can't you do any better than that?" the choreographer asked, frustrated. "I'm sorry," he sighed. "I'll do better." "You've said that the last couple times, Lance." "I know," Lance said. He looked around at the others, who were standing around, exhausted. Even Joey looked frustrated. "Give them a break," he sighed. "I'll work through it." "Okay, you guys, take 20." "Thanks," Chris muttered. "Lay off," JC glared. "I'm sorry for making us stay later than we had to...again," Lance said as they waited for the light to change. They were walking back, since Justin's house wasn't far from the place they had rehearsed that day. They had a show at the Hard Rock Cafe the next night, and they were singing Tearin' Up My Heart and I Want You Back, which was huge in Europe. Their album over there was selling well also. "That's all right," Joey sighed. "I don't know what it is," Lance continued. "I just don't get it." The light was green and they started to cross. "Just try a little harder," Chris pleaded, turning his head to look at Lance. Then something fell out of his pocket, and he bent to pick it up. "I knew there was a hole in this pocket," he muttered. "Hey wait up!" he yelled to the guys, who were already at the other side. They turned, and he saw the look of horror in their eyes right before he heard a loud honk. He spun around and froze. There was a truck careening around the corner. Coming straight towards him. He couldn't move. Suddenly he felt himself pushed out of the way and shoved to the ground. When he finally came to his senses, he saw Lance untangling himself and standing up. The truck had finally screeched to a stop. "Oh...oh God, Lance..." Chris started. He watched Lance get up and go talk to the driver of the truck, dusting himself off as he went. "I don't know what happened," the driver said, shaken. "I was driving along, all fine, and then I just lost control...the wheel got stuck and the brakes weren't working...and...oh my God, I'm so sorry..." he looked into Lance's eyes and saw anger. "I'm sorry," he said again. "I'm so sorry...are you guys okay?" "We're fine," Lance said abruptly. "You can just go home and forget about this," he said, turning away. He stalked by Chris, still lying bewildered on the ground. Joey went over and helped him up. "What happened?" Justin asked. Lance turned and looked at them. He was oblivious to the gasp from Justin and JC when they saw the mounting fury in his eyes. "He lost control when his wheel got stuck and the brakes weren't working," he said, his voice strangely calm. "Why are you so angry?" JC asked softly. "Angry? I'm not angry," he lied. "I'm just upset and worried that Chris could've gotten hurt. Not...angry..." his gaze went past them and they could see the angry green eyes get even angrier. Then he shook his head and looked at Chris. "You okay?" "I'm fine...scratches...oh God, Lance, thank you so much, you just saved my life," Chris said, voice choked. Lance's eyes softened. "You don't have to thank me," he said softly, hugging Chris. "I'm just glad you're okay." "What's he so angry about?" Joey whispered to Justin and JC. "We don't know...he says he isn't...that's just weird," JC responded. "Lance, what happened?" Joey asked, walking over. "Driver lost control...said his wheel got stuck and the brakes didn't work." "How did he stop?" Lance shrugged, and Joey could see the anger mounting again in his eyes. "You all right?" "Fine, just upset is all," he said. "Right," Joey said. He'd seen that angry look before. Lance was rarely angry. There had only been a few times in the last two years that he'd been angry. But this was different. He'd seen this angry before. He just couldn't remember where. They all walked in silence, avoiding Lance. He didn't seem to notice. Chris was still shaken up by the whole thing, but Lance didn't seem to care. Almost like...almost like saving someone from an oncoming car was an everyday thing, JC mused. "Yeah right," he muttered to himself. Then he thought of something and laughed. "Some birthday present THAT would've been, Chris," he said. Chris saw the humor and a grin cracked his face. "Right," he said. "You're turning twenty-one tomorrow, and I get hit by a car the day before. Gotta love me!" "You know it," JC retorted. Lance looked back at them and allowed a smirk to cross his face. Then he frowned, realizing what fell tomorrow besides JC's 21st birthday. It was the 115th anniversary of his death. He sighed, then thought back to the matter at hand. He could guess what had happened. As soon as they reached Justin's house, he waved goodbye to the guys and grabbed his phone. Dialing a number, he jumped into the car. "Follow him," JC said to Joey. "I don't want him to get hurt. He's not...rational right now, for whatever reason." "Aight," Joey said, getting into his car. He followed Lance closely. He could see Lance talking animatedly on his phone. They pulled into Lance's driveway, and Joey saw him come out of the car. "You don't understand," Joey heard him say. "Violet, I need to talk to him. This has got Benny's name written ALL over it...I don't care if he's not there! I need to talk to him NOW. All right, fine. Put Nikolas on instead. Yes. Thanks Vi." Joey was completely bewildered. What the hell was Lance talking about? "Nikolas...yes, you saw it, I know you did. Don't say that, I know it was him. Dammit! Sorry...yes I know, sorry. I said SORRY! I won't swear in front of you again, I promise. I know, they're a bad influence. Uh huh," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "But back to the matter at hand...that was no accident, Nikolas, you and I both know it. His tricks aren't funny anymore, Nikolas. Chris could've died today." That was all Joey heard before Lance went into his apartment. "Damn!" He got into his car and drove off. He would've flipped if he heard Lance's next statement. "There is no way that the brakes could've broken or the wheel could've stuck on its own, Nikolas. Benny was behind that all the way. He manipulated that innocent guy's truck and tried to kill Chris. It's got his name written all over it, Nikolas! Let me talk to him...THANK YOU!" he said. "Finally," he muttered to himself. "Benny," he said angrily. "What the heck was that?" "What are you talking about?" Benny asked innocently. "I know you're in here so show yourself," he said. Benny appeared, and Lance turned off his phone. "I know you rigged the truck, Benny, so don't deny it. Why did you try to kill Chris?" Joey wondered what in the world Lance had been talking about. He knew Lance was angrier about the whole thing than he had let on. Suddenly, he remembered where he'd seen that angry look before. It had been when he first met Lou. Lance had been staring at the wall. Joey screeched the brakes on, doing a U-turn. He ignored the honks of the pissed off drivers he cut off. He squealed into the lot, haphazardly parking the car, and ran up to Lance's door. Lance was still on the phone. So he thought. "Don't try to lie, Benny. You've never been able to lie to me, and you can't now." Lance's voice was angry, yet controlled, Joey mused. Lance snorted in response to what the person said. "You. Don't kill. That's a new one." He paused. "I'll bet. But why?" He paused, then laughed. "A birthday present for JC?" Joey's eyes widened. "Boy, I'm glad we were never friends, Benny. Your gifts suck." He stopped and listened. "Another reason?" More anger crept into his voice. "What, pray tell, would that be?" An eyebrow on Joey's face shot up. Pray tell? Lance continued and Joey listened. "And trust me...if it's what I think..." Lance stopped, and when he began again, Joey could hear the fury in his voice. "We both know that, Benny. You DON'T need to bring it up. I KNOW how long it's been. I think you should leave before I say OR do something we'll both regret." Lance stopped again. "NOW, Benny." Joey could hear his sigh of relief after Benny hung up. So he thought. Then the phone rang. "What?" Lance snapped. "Oh, it's you, sorry JC." Joey chuckled silently. Then he fell silent when he heard next. "Yeah, I'm fine...Joey? No, he hasn't been here..." Joey's eyes widened, and he decided it would probably be a good time to knock. "Oh, that might be him, hang on a sec." Lance opened the door. "Hey Joey. Yeah, it's him, JC. No, you didn't send him over to ask me if I wanted to go out tonight," Lance said with a twinkle in his eyes. "Bull, you sent him to make sure I got here okay without killing anyone, right? Uh huh. Thought so." Joey laughed. "You can't fool me, JC, you can try, but you can't," Lance chuckled. "So, you going?" Joey heard JC ask. "Yeah, sure," he responded. "Joey, you wanna go? I'm assuming you didn't know about this little outing...Oh, and JC says that you'd better say you knew," Lance nodded. "JC, you're such a dork," Joey rolled his eyes. "But I'm going." "Cool. We'll meet ya there," Lance said. "Bye."