Chapter 13

Lance nodded as he hung up the phone, smiling broadly. "We're recording there, and we're gonna tour a little bit, and then...then we're releasing an album."

"Not at all. Lou wants us to go over there now to see some of the songs that are written."

They all got into the car and Chris drove to the studio. "Why can't I drive?" Justin whined.

"Because you don't even have your license yet, and none of us want to die," JC said. They all laughed at Justin, even Lance, though he didn't want any of them to die either.

"I need love, you need love, we all really need love?" JC asked incredulously. "What the hell kind of crap is this?"

"It's called a song, JC," Lou said dryly. "You sing it."

"You will sing it, or you sing nothing," Lou responded, leaning forward. "It's what the people want."

JC shut his mouth and slumped back into his seat. Lance could read his facial expression clear as day. "People want to hear us sing THAT?!"

Justin picked up another song. "Riddle," he mused. "Sounds interesting..." he looked it over and an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, that'll describe it."

"Because America is still not completely following the pop genre. Europe, however, loves it."

"We can still sing in English, right?" Joey asked, totally bewildered.

"Yes, of course. Unless you want to learn Swedish? German, perhaps?"

"Yeah. They are enjoying success. I might actually bring them home soon."

"A few weeks at first, then maybe a few months, I guess."

"What about Justin...he's still in school," JC pointed out.

"Next month, I think. You're going to record down here in Orlando first, then you'll go."

"All right, give us a call when you want us back," Lance said, abruptly standing up. It was the first word out of his mouth the whole meeting. He walked over to the door and waited. The others followed his lead, exchanging confused glances. They filed out the door.

"Talk to them for me, will ya, Lance?" Lou asked, somewhat wearily.

"Sure, Lout," Lance said sympathetically. He'd noticed the same thing, the lack of excitement. He shut the door and followed the rest of the guys to the car.

After he got in, Chris pulled out and finally spoke. "Why'd you wanna leave so quickly?"

"Because none of you seem the least bit excited that we're RECORDING our ALBUM soon, in Europe, no less. There's one studio, Cheiron, over there that we're gonna be in."

"Suck. I know. But some of them are pretty good," he said. "Give it a chance."

"Lance, you have to go a little lower on that note," Gary, the producer said.

"That's all right. Take it from the top of that part. One, two and three." Lance and Joey began their parts to "Crazy for You." Once they finished, Gary stopped the music. "Great. We can work with that," he said.

"All right, I think we can work with all the parts we have," Gary said. Justin and Chris high fived each other. "Take 20 and rest your voices. Then we'll start the next one."

Twenty minutes later, Joey, Chris, and Justin were missing. Lance and JC were waiting. They waited another five minutes before Gary impatiently called JC in. "We can't wait all day," he reasoned. "Okay, JC, start at the top of 'I Need Love'."

"Joey, give me my shoe!" Justin was yelling. "We need to go back," he said. Chris laughed and Joey finally threw it back to Justin. He hurriedly put it on. "Come on," he said.

They raced down the hallway and skidded to a stop. "Nice of you to join us," Lance said.

"JC," Gary began wearily. "Please try to sing it like you're not about to puke?"

All four guys burst out laughing. JC flashed a toothy grin. "No prob, Gary," he said. Gary sighed and cued the music.

"I will give you *cough* all the love *cough* you need *cough* If you only *cough* give your love..."

JC sighed. "Fine. But I'm doing this under protest," he added.

"Sure, JC, sure." He began again, this time doing it flawlessly. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?"

"Wonderful. We should use both cuts on the album," Chris said sarcastically. JC grinned and the three fell silent, watching their groupmates.

"That note is a little flat. Bring it up a half-step or so, kay?"

Lance flushed, but began singing, a little self-conscious at all the people watching him.

Lance rolled his eyes and flushed once more, but sang anyway. Why is he giving Lance such a hard time? One of them wondered. "His singing sounds beautiful to me...from a musical standpoint, that's all. That's all."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 13 "We're going to Europe?" Joey shouted. Lance nodded as he hung up the phone, smiling broadly. "We're recording there, and we're gonna tour a little bit, and then...then we're releasing an album." "You're kidding!" "Not at all. Lou wants us to go over there now to see some of the songs that are written." "Seriously?" "Uh-huh." They all got into the car and Chris drove to the studio. "Why can't I drive?" Justin whined. "Because you don't even have your license yet, and none of us want to die," JC said. They all laughed at Justin, even Lance, though he didn't want any of them to die either. "I need love, you need love, we all really need love?" JC asked incredulously. "What the hell kind of crap is this?" "It's called a song, JC," Lou said dryly. "You sing it." "But it sucks!" he protested. "You will sing it, or you sing nothing," Lou responded, leaning forward. "It's what the people want." JC shut his mouth and slumped back into his seat. Lance could read his facial expression clear as day. "People want to hear us sing THAT?!" Justin picked up another song. "Riddle," he mused. "Sounds interesting..." he looked it over and an eyebrow raised. "Yeah, that'll describe it." "Why do you want us in Europe?" Chris asked. "Because America is still not completely following the pop genre. Europe, however, loves it." "We can still sing in English, right?" Joey asked, totally bewildered. "Yes, of course. Unless you want to learn Swedish? German, perhaps?" "No, no, that's okay," Joey said quickly. "The Backstreet Boys--" "Your other group, right?" Chris interrupted. "Yeah. They are enjoying success. I might actually bring them home soon." "How long are we talking, Lou?" Justin asked. "A few weeks at first, then maybe a few months, I guess." "Months?" Joey asked. "What about Justin...he's still in school," JC pointed out. "We'll give him tutors," Lou said. "Great," Justin responded. "When are we leaving?" "Next month, I think. You're going to record down here in Orlando first, then you'll go." "All right, give us a call when you want us back," Lance said, abruptly standing up. It was the first word out of his mouth the whole meeting. He walked over to the door and waited. The others followed his lead, exchanging confused glances. They filed out the door. "Talk to them for me, will ya, Lance?" Lou asked, somewhat wearily. "Sure, Lout," Lance said sympathetically. He'd noticed the same thing, the lack of excitement. He shut the door and followed the rest of the guys to the car. After he got in, Chris pulled out and finally spoke. "Why'd you wanna leave so quickly?" "Because none of you seem the least bit excited that we're RECORDING our ALBUM soon, in Europe, no less. There's one studio, Cheiron, over there that we're gonna be in." "But some of the songs..." "Suck. I know. But some of them are pretty good," he said. "Give it a chance." "Sorry Lance," They said in unison. He grinned. "Sure." **~A Week Later~** "Lance, you have to go a little lower on that note," Gary, the producer said. "Sorry Gary," Lance responded. "That's all right. Take it from the top of that part. One, two and three." Lance and Joey began their parts to "Crazy for You." Once they finished, Gary stopped the music. "Great. We can work with that," he said. "Cool." Joey and Lance exited the recording booth. "All right, I think we can work with all the parts we have," Gary said. Justin and Chris high fived each other. "Take 20 and rest your voices. Then we'll start the next one." "Which one are we doing?" JC asked. "You'll see," Gary said mysteriously. Twenty minutes later, Joey, Chris, and Justin were missing. Lance and JC were waiting. They waited another five minutes before Gary impatiently called JC in. "We can't wait all day," he reasoned. "Okay, JC, start at the top of 'I Need Love'." "Fine," JC said, rolling his eyes. Lance chuckled. "Joey, give me my shoe!" Justin was yelling. "We need to go back," he said. Chris laughed and Joey finally threw it back to Justin. He hurriedly put it on. "Come on," he said. They raced down the hallway and skidded to a stop. "Nice of you to join us," Lance said. "You're welcome!" Joey replied brightly. "JC," Gary began wearily. "Please try to sing it like you're not about to puke?" All four guys burst out laughing. JC flashed a toothy grin. "No prob, Gary," he said. Gary sighed and cued the music. "I will give you cough all the love cough you need cough If you only cough give your love..." "JC! Sing it for real?" "Sorry, I had something in my throat," JC said. "Please, sing it?" JC sighed. "Fine. But I'm doing this under protest," he added. "Sure, JC, sure." He began again, this time doing it flawlessly. "See, that wasn't so bad, now was it?" "No. Of. Course. Not," JC said monotonously. "Lance and Joey, you're up," he said. The two sighed and entered the booth. "So how was I?" JC asked. "Oh, I loved it," Justin said. "Wonderful. We should use both cuts on the album," Chris said sarcastically. JC grinned and the three fell silent, watching their groupmates. "Hey, Lance," Gary said, stopping the music. "What?" "That note is a little flat. Bring it up a half-step or so, kay?" "Sure." "Try it by yourself." Lance flushed, but began singing, a little self-conscious at all the people watching him. "Now it's sharp. Try one more time." Lance rolled his eyes and flushed once more, but sang anyway. Why is he giving Lance such a hard time? One of them wondered. "His singing sounds beautiful to me...from a musical standpoint, that's all. That's all."