Chapter 35

JC was putting a bandage on Joey's cut when he started to come to. He moaned and jumped before recognizing JC.

The other three exchanged glances. "We thought you would know," Justin said uncomfortably.

"What do you mean?" Joey asked, looking at his three bandmates.

"Well, we found you in Lance's apartment," JC said. "And..." he swallowed and couldn't continue.

Joey looked with troubled eyes at Chris, who continued. "You were on the floor. You had blood coming out of your head and glass was everywhere...chairs were tipped over...and Lance..."

"Lance was gone. We don't know where he is. We first thought that maybe he did it to you, but..."

"I don't know..." Joey said. "I don't know. He was just there..."

"His name was..." Joey's brow furrowed. "Started with...B...yeah."

"Yes!" Joey said impatiently. "He just showed up, I got hit, and then I woke up here."

"Guys, stop," Chris commanded quietly. "None of us are helping anything by fighting. So right now, you two," he gestured to Joey and JC, "Need to stop. That problem is over for now."

Joey looked at JC, who finally nodded reluctantly. Joey sighed. "I swear, I'd tell you if anything else happened. I swear." He looked into JC's eyes and JC knew it was the truth. He sighed and nodded again. Joey relaxed immediately. "But what are we gonna do

Lance staggered to his feet. Something was wrong with his head, he couldn't figure out what it was, but it hurt a lot. He had a vague recognition of what had happened before darkness overcame him once again.

"It's been two hours. I think we should start looking, it's not like him to just leave without telling anyone," JC said, pacing.

"He'll be all right, he can take care of himself," Joey said, his tone worried.

"I can't!" Justin sighed and pulled JC down onto the couch next to him. The pacing was making him dizzy. JC glared at him before putting his head in his hands.

"He'll be fine," Justin assured him. "But if you really want to go look, I'll go with you."

"Woah, JC," Justin said, smiling in spite of himself. "Got a thing for Lance?"

"Gay, yeah, I came out after you and Lance left...speaking of Lance...let's GO!" JC said, not exactly thinking. But before Justin even stood up, there was a knock on the door. JC ran to go get it. "Oh my GOD!"

"Who is it, Jace?" Chris called. JC wordlessly opened the door and let the man in. The other three gasped as they saw what he was holding in his arms.

"I'm sorry," Benny said, shrinking back. "But he's an angel. I can't do much to them before I get drained, I thought you would know that better than I did."

"Well since you USED to be one, you should know what their weaknesses are!"

"I'm sorry!" Benny said again. "But then HE showed up and there was nothing I could do..."

"What did you...how did...Where...Who are....What...What happened to him?" Justin finally stammered out.

The man smiled and lightly placed Lance on the now empty couch. "Long story. But to make it short, my name is Nikolas." He smiled again as recognition dawned in Joey's eyes. "And...I've seen J...Lance around. So I know where you guys live. But I saw him outside," he said vaguely, "And brought him to you."

Nikolas made a show of looking at his watch. "I really must be going." "But what happened to him?"

Nikolas suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well, he got himself cornered...that's all I really know...But I really have to go," he said, standing up.

Nikolas winked at Joey before following Justin out. After he was out of sight, he sighed. He'd meant to talk to Lance about both Joey and JC, and now, it appeared, he'd have to wait again. Lance wasn't being careful enough, and Nikolas knew it would all catch up to him sooner or later. He hoped it would be later.

Lance groaned. Where was he now? He shifted and saw a figure stand up. He closed his eyes again. "No..." he moaned, and the footsteps stopped for a brief second before starting again and coming closer.

"We don't know. All we know is, we show up at your apartment, there's glass everywhere, overturned chairs and tables, and Joey's knocked out bleeding on the floor. You weren't there..."

"Yeah, Joey's fine, he just got hit on the head. But anyway, we wait for you to show up, even though I wanted to go out, and then some guy calling himself Nikolas shows up carrying you, tells us his name, then he leaves."

JC had gotten up and started pacing. "And you've got cuts on both your arms, a cut on your forehead, and a bruise under your eye. Not to mention the bump on the back of your head..." he had gotten choked up. "I was so worried, Lance, I had no idea what happened, and..."

"Shh," Lance said, struggling to sit up and patting the space next to him.

"You shouldn't be moving..." But JC sat down anyway. "I wish I'd gotten there sooner, I wish I..."

"JC, it's all right, I'm fine," Lance soothed. "It's all right now."

"Why are you trying to make me feel better?" JC wondered. "I mean, you're the one that was...that...was..."

"JC, it's fine. I'm sure it affected you more than me. I was out of it, remember?"

"But what if those...people, whoever did this to you...what if they come back?"

"I doubt they will," Lance said. "But if they do, then we'll cross that bridge as it comes. Now, you should go to sleep, and stop worrying about it."

"JC, sleep," Lance said. "Sleep on top of me if you don't feel like getting up."

JC looked like he was considering it before he just laid down, his head in Lance's lap. "Thanks."

"I certainly hope not. That would be a little odd, don't you think?"

JC chuckled in spite of himself. "You're so sweet, you know that?" he asked, looking up at Lance's face, which turned pinkish at the last comment.

"Sure you are, Lance. I mean, you go through who knows what tonight, and here you are, letting me sleep on you and making me laugh. You're incredible."

"No I'm not," Lance mumbled, blushing more and looking everywhere but at JC. He couldn't help feeling happy that JC thought so highly of him though, and he still let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. He absentmindedly started running his fingers through JC's hair, and JC shut his eyes and sighed.

"You've done so much for this group, I hope you know," JC commented, concentrating on the feel of Lance's fingers in his hair. "You don't think so, but we wouldn't be the same without you."

"Thanks," Lance muttered. "You're just in the mood to shower me with compliments tonight, aren't you?"

"It's hard not to," JC sighed. "You're one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most forgiving people I've ever met. I mean, back when I acted like an ass, you forgave me, you always forgive Chris, and you even forgave Joey before I did."

"The way you are, I know," JC said, rolling his eyes, and the two laughed.

"You're impossible, you know that? I'm trying to be nice here..."

"Oh, first I'm wonderful, now I'm impossible?" Lance teased. "You should go to sleep, JC, it's been a long day."

"You are wonderful," JC mumbled, feeling his eyelids grow heavier. "So wonderful, wonderful..."

The last thing JC felt before falling asleep was the feeling of soft, soft lips pressing against his forehead.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 35 JC was putting a bandage on Joey's cut when he started to come to. He moaned and jumped before recognizing JC. "Wha...what happened? Where's Lance?" Joey asked. The other three exchanged glances. "We thought you would know," Justin said uncomfortably. "What do you mean?" Joey asked, looking at his three bandmates. "Well, we found you in Lance's apartment," JC said. "And..." he swallowed and couldn't continue. Joey looked with troubled eyes at Chris, who continued. "You were on the floor. You had blood coming out of your head and glass was everywhere...chairs were tipped over...and Lance..." "What about him?" "Lance was gone. We don't know where he is. We first thought that maybe he did it to you, but..." "NO! It wasn't him," Joey said. "Who was it?" "I don't know..." Joey said. "I don't know. He was just there..." "Who?" "His name was..." Joey's brow furrowed. "Started with...B...yeah." "The guy that knocked you out? Or...?" "Yes!" Joey said impatiently. "He just showed up, I got hit, and then I woke up here." "And you have no idea who it was?" JC pressed. "I would tell you if I did," Joey snapped. "Guys, stop," Chris commanded quietly. "None of us are helping anything by fighting. So right now, you two," he gestured to Joey and JC, "Need to stop. That problem is over for now." Joey looked at JC, who finally nodded reluctantly. Joey sighed. "I swear, I'd tell you if anything else happened. I swear." He looked into JC's eyes and JC knew it was the truth. He sighed and nodded again. Joey relaxed immediately. "But what are we gonna do now?" * Lance staggered to his feet. Something was wrong with his head, he couldn't figure out what it was, but it hurt a lot. He had a vague recognition of what had happened before darkness overcame him once again. * "It's been two hours. I think we should start looking, it's not like him to just leave without telling anyone," JC said, pacing. "He always comes back though," Chris reasoned. "Well maybe something's WRONG," JC said. "He'll be all right, he can take care of himself," Joey said, his tone worried. "You don't KNOW that, though. What if something happened?" "JC, calm down," Justin said. "I can't!" Justin sighed and pulled JC down onto the couch next to him. The pacing was making him dizzy. JC glared at him before putting his head in his hands. "He'll be fine," Justin assured him. "But if you really want to go look, I'll go with you." JC jumped up immediately. "Great! Let's go!" "Woah, JC," Justin said, smiling in spite of himself. "Got a thing for Lance?" JC reddened. "No!" "Wait, JC, you're..." Joey began. "Gay, yeah, I came out after you and Lance left...speaking of Lance...let's GO!" JC said, not exactly thinking. But before Justin even stood up, there was a knock on the door. JC ran to go get it. "Oh my GOD!" "No, I'm not, but thanks anyway," came an unfamiliar voice. "Who is it, Jace?" Chris called. JC wordlessly opened the door and let the man in. The other three gasped as they saw what he was holding in his arms. It was Lance. * "You let him get away!" a voice hissed. "I'm sorry," Benny said, shrinking back. "But he's an angel. I can't do much to them before I get drained, I thought you would know that better than I did." "Well since you USED to be one, you should know what their weaknesses are!" "I'm sorry!" Benny said again. "But then HE showed up and there was nothing I could do..." * "What did you...how did...Where...Who are....What...What happened to him?" Justin finally stammered out. The man smiled and lightly placed Lance on the now empty couch. "Long story. But to make it short, my name is Nikolas." He smiled again as recognition dawned in Joey's eyes. "And...I've seen J...Lance around. So I know where you guys live. But I saw him outside," he said vaguely, "And brought him to you." "But you..." Nikolas made a show of looking at his watch. "I really must be going." "But what happened to him?" Nikolas suddenly looked a bit uncomfortable. "Well, he got himself cornered...that's all I really know...But I really have to go," he said, standing up. "Of course," Justin said. "I'll see you out." Nikolas winked at Joey before following Justin out. After he was out of sight, he sighed. He'd meant to talk to Lance about both Joey and JC, and now, it appeared, he'd have to wait again. Lance wasn't being careful enough, and Nikolas knew it would all catch up to him sooner or later. He hoped it would be later. * Lance groaned. Where was he now? He shifted and saw a figure stand up. He closed his eyes again. "No..." he moaned, and the footsteps stopped for a brief second before starting again and coming closer. "Lance?" a voice said. Lance cracked an eyelid open. "Oh, hi Jace." "You're finally awake!" He was sleeping? "I was sleeping?" he repeated out loud. "Actually, you were unconscious, but same difference." "Right...what happened?" "We don't know. All we know is, we show up at your apartment, there's glass everywhere, overturned chairs and tables, and Joey's knocked out bleeding on the floor. You weren't there..." "Wait, is Joey okay?" "Yeah, Joey's fine, he just got hit on the head. But anyway, we wait for you to show up, even though I wanted to go out, and then some guy calling himself Nikolas shows up carrying you, tells us his name, then he leaves." Lance blinked. "Oh." JC had gotten up and started pacing. "And you've got cuts on both your arms, a cut on your forehead, and a bruise under your eye. Not to mention the bump on the back of your head..." he had gotten choked up. "I was so worried, Lance, I had no idea what happened, and..." "Shh," Lance said, struggling to sit up and patting the space next to him. "You shouldn't be moving..." But JC sat down anyway. "I wish I'd gotten there sooner, I wish I..." "JC, it's all right, I'm fine," Lance soothed. "It's all right now." "Why are you trying to make me feel better?" JC wondered. "I mean, you're the one that was...that...was..." "JC, it's fine. I'm sure it affected you more than me. I was out of it, remember?" "Not funny." "Sorry. But relax. Everything's fine." "But what if those...people, whoever did this to you...what if they come back?" "I doubt they will," Lance said. "But if they do, then we'll cross that bridge as it comes. Now, you should go to sleep, and stop worrying about it." "But I..." "JC, sleep," Lance said. "Sleep on top of me if you don't feel like getting up." JC looked like he was considering it before he just laid down, his head in Lance's lap. "Thanks." "No problem," Lance said, grinning. "Now go to sleep." "You're not my mother." "I certainly hope not. That would be a little odd, don't you think?" "Don't make me laugh, I'm not in the mood." "Yes sir." JC chuckled in spite of himself. "You're so sweet, you know that?" he asked, looking up at Lance's face, which turned pinkish at the last comment. "No...but..." "Sure you are, Lance. I mean, you go through who knows what tonight, and here you are, letting me sleep on you and making me laugh. You're incredible." "No I'm not," Lance mumbled, blushing more and looking everywhere but at JC. He couldn't help feeling happy that JC thought so highly of him though, and he still let a small smile tug at the corners of his mouth. He absentmindedly started running his fingers through JC's hair, and JC shut his eyes and sighed. "You've done so much for this group, I hope you know," JC commented, concentrating on the feel of Lance's fingers in his hair. "You don't think so, but we wouldn't be the same without you." "Thanks," Lance muttered. "You're just in the mood to shower me with compliments tonight, aren't you?" "It's hard not to," JC sighed. "You're one of the nicest, sweetest, kindest, most forgiving people I've ever met. I mean, back when I acted like an ass, you forgave me, you always forgive Chris, and you even forgave Joey before I did." "That's not anything special," Lance said. "It's just..." "The way you are, I know," JC said, rolling his eyes, and the two laughed. "But you're one of a kind." "Isn't everyone?" "You're impossible, you know that? I'm trying to be nice here..." "Oh, first I'm wonderful, now I'm impossible?" Lance teased. "You should go to sleep, JC, it's been a long day." "You are wonderful," JC mumbled, feeling his eyelids grow heavier. "So wonderful, wonderful..." The last thing JC felt before falling asleep was the feeling of soft, soft lips pressing against his forehead.