Chapter 46

Inner Reflection | home

"Lou, talk to JC. I'm not in the mood. Yes, I really wanted to talk to you like that." Lance handed the phone to JC.

"Thanks," JC said sarcastically. Lance grinned brightly before closing his eyes, still listening in to the conversation. "Lou? Yeah, the bus..." JC paused, then started again. "I know we're on a schedule, but the bus...the...bus...LOU SHUT UP! The bus has a flat! All right? A freaking flat tire! WE couldn't do anything about it. So calm your ass down."

"Josh," Lance scolded.

JC blushed. "Sorry. But James called the company and we're gonna get it fixed ASAP. Kay? Kay good. Bye." JC hung up the phone. "You're not in any position to be telling ME to be nice to him," he said.

Lance smiled weakly. "I'm the only one allowed to be a jerk to him, remember?" JC laughed, and Lance smiled again.

JC looked at him. "When are you gonna get better, baby?" he whispered. Lance had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"I don't know, Josh," Lance said in response. "I don't know."

*~*Later that Month*~*

"Lance, come one, get up, we gotta do the show," JC said. He was worried. Lance had steadily gotten sicker and sicker. He didn't have enough time to sleep, and if he had time to eat -- which he usually didn't -- most of it would get thrown up again.

Lance shook his head weakly. "Uh uh."

JC smiled. "Please?"

Lance made a move as if to stand up. "I can't."

"Lance, come on. I'm not kidding."

"Neither am I," Lance said, slumping back down into the chair.

JC looked at Lance worriedly, then he motioned Johnny over. He saw Lou standing off to the side, arms crossed, a glare directed at Lance, who was on the other side of the dressing room. Johnny talked to him and helped him up. "He shouldn't perform," JC said angrily. "He can barely even stand up without almost falling over. Even ROSIE noticed he looked like crap! It's too hot today, especially when he's sick!"

"Well he's going to," Lou said.

"Come on, JC," Lance called out. JC gave Lou one last glare before going on stage. He looked at Lance. He was paler than ever and had huge bags under his eyes. He looked like the color of the green vest he was wearing. Lance pounded his chest a couple times, coughed, and blinked. Then he shook his head. JC didn't have any time to contemplate what went on, because someone cued the music.

They finished two songs and took a break. Lance sat on the edge of the stage, out of sight of the fans. He rubbed his head. JC watched from afar as Johnny walked over to him, speaking softly. Lance shook his head. JC could barely make out the words "I can't..." Johnny put a hand on his shoulder and looked around. Then he said something else, and Lance turned his head away, trying not to cry.

Lance smiled for a brief second. He'd made it through the third song. But he was so tired...so...so tired...

He couldn't hear JC talking, everything was fuzzy. And his chest hurt suddenly. That was weird...He couldn't hear...he was so tired...

Was someone talking? He felt his eyelids start to flutter and the room started to spin. Then he felt his legs waver. "Josh..." he managed to say, before everything went black.

JC stood in the waiting room. How was he now? Why weren't they saying anything? He thought back to those terrifying moments...

"Lance?" He didn't look to good. He looked horrible, JC thought to himself. He'd somehow made it through all three songs, but now he kept blinking..."Lance?!" No answer. JC was scared. Very scared. Lance suddenly grabbed his arm.

"Josh..." he said, before collapsing into JC's arms.

"Oh God...GUYS!" he said, struggling to stay standing up. "GUYS!" They turned and saw JC with Lance in his arms. "Oh my God...what happened?" Joey asked, fear in his voice.

JC forced himself to stay calm...he couldn't fail Lance right now, had to stay calm. "He just collapsed...I don't know," he said, panic creeping into his voice. Stay calm, he told himself. He slowly lowered them both to the ground. "Call 911," he said to Chris. Chris froze. "NOW!" he said, checking for a pulse. "Oh God...there's no pulse...Oh my God..." he grabbed Lance's hand. "Please...stay with us...don't leave me..." JC tried to stay calm, but inside, he was terrified. "I can't lose you," he said.

"Please..." he checked for a pulse again, and started doing CPR. "Lance..." Where was the ambulance? "You can't...where the hell is the fucking ambulance?"

"It's coming," Chris said. "It's coming..." he watched JC. It struck JC as he was trying to revive Lance. He couldn't live without him...he HAD to be okay...it had to be okay..."Lance, don't leave us...please..." Paramedics rushed up and took over. "Please...I love you..."

JC continued to pace. He'd really meant what he said...he realized that now. Too bad it took a near-tragedy for him to notice. Joey watched him. Lance would be okay, right? He was already dead and everything...He'd said he couldn't die again, hadn't he? Of course, he was still worried. But...the heartbeat...Lance didn't have one, did he? That would be a problem...His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. He gasped when he saw who the doctor was.

"Hello," he said. "I'm Dr. Nikolas Gates...I attended to J-- Lance?"

JC stopped pacing. "How is he?" he asked, looking uneasily at the Doctor. There was something...odd about him...

"Well," Dr. Gates said, regarding JC carefully, "The main problem was exhaustion," he said, somewhat disapprovingly. "I understand that in this line of work, you have an irregular schedule, but his body was so tired and dehydrated that it just shut down. That's why his heart stopped beating, though we did manage to start it up again," he said, giving Joey a significant look. Joey looked at the ground. "We did, however, notice that he's got a slight heart condition...that will be explained as soon as we get more information on it, right now it's between a few things...but he'll be on medication. You have to make sure to let him rest...he's doing that now...no more of these late night flights, all right?" he asked, peering over the rim of his glasses.

They all nodded. "Can we go see him?" JC asked eagerly.

Nikolas smiled in spite of himself. "Room 418."

*~*The Next Day*~*

"Lance! You're awake!" Joey exclaimed, jumping up.

Lance blinked his eyes open. "Huh?" he asked, his voice hoarse.

"You woke up!" he said happily.

"Where's everyone else?"

"In the waiting room," came another voice. Joey jumped backwards in shock, but Lance only groaned. "Nice to see you awake, James," Nikolas said.

"Dr. Gates, huh?" Joey asked, shaking his head.

Lance looked at them in disbelief. "You're kidding."

Joey shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Uh uh. He comes in as Dr. Gates and tells us what's wrong with you."

"Oh my goodness," Lance said, shaking his head.

Nikolas blew on his fingers and rubbed them off on his shirt. "Pretty good performance if I do say so myself."

Joey looked over at him. "He's got a slight heart condition...that will be explained as soon as we get more information on it, right now it's between a few things...'?" he said, repeating Nikolas' words from the day before. Nikolas gave him an indignant look.

Lance laughed a little. "Hey, Joey, remember who you're dealing with here."

Joey blushed. "Oh yeah, sorry."

"Don't worry about that," Nikolas assured him.

"He's not a doctor," Lance said under his breath.

"I should like YOU to remember who you're dealing with," Nikolas said haughtily. Lance burst out laughing.

"I have a question..." Joey said timidly.

"Go ahead," Nikolas said, still glaring at Lance.

"How did he get by everyone if his heart wasn't beating?"

"That's where I came in," Nikolas said. "I made it look like it was beating, even though it wasn't. The medication he's going to be on is going to make it beat though. Makes it easier for the checkups management will insist upon."

"Special medication," Lance grumbled, then they were interrupted by a knock on the door, and then it opened.

"Lance!" JC said happily. He wanted to kiss him, but wasn't sure if he should with the doctor in the room. Then he turned and looked. "Hi Dr. Gates...how's he doing?" Lance snorted, and JC looked at him oddly, but Lance just looked back innocently.

"He's doing much better," Nikolas said, looking back at Lance with a warning glare. "But he still needs his REST or this might happen again."

Lance saluted. "Yes sir."

JC looked at him oddly again. "Have you two met before or something? Jeez."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 46 "Lou, talk to JC. I'm not in the mood. Yes, I really wanted to talk to you like that." Lance handed the phone to JC. "Thanks," JC said sarcastically. Lance grinned brightly before closing his eyes, still listening in to the conversation. "Lou? Yeah, the bus..." JC paused, then started again. "I know we're on a schedule, but the bus...the...bus...LOU SHUT UP! The bus has a flat! All right? A freaking flat tire! WE couldn't do anything about it. So calm your ass down." "Josh," Lance scolded. JC blushed. "Sorry. But James called the company and we're gonna get it fixed ASAP. Kay? Kay good. Bye." JC hung up the phone. "You're not in any position to be telling ME to be nice to him," he said. Lance smiled weakly. "I'm the only one allowed to be a jerk to him, remember?" JC laughed, and Lance smiled again. JC looked at him. "When are you gonna get better, baby?" he whispered. Lance had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead and he had dark circles under his eyes. "I don't know, Josh," Lance said in response. "I don't know." **~Later that Month~** "Lance, come one, get up, we gotta do the show," JC said. He was worried. Lance had steadily gotten sicker and sicker. He didn't have enough time to sleep, and if he had time to eat -- which he usually didn't -- most of it would get thrown up again. Lance shook his head weakly. "Uh uh." JC smiled. "Please?" Lance made a move as if to stand up. "I can't." "Lance, come on. I'm not kidding." "Neither am I," Lance said, slumping back down into the chair. JC looked at Lance worriedly, then he motioned Johnny over. He saw Lou standing off to the side, arms crossed, a glare directed at Lance, who was on the other side of the dressing room. Johnny talked to him and helped him up. "He shouldn't perform," JC said angrily. "He can barely even stand up without almost falling over. Even ROSIE noticed he looked like crap! It's too hot today, especially when he's sick!" "Well he's going to," Lou said. "Come on, JC," Lance called out. JC gave Lou one last glare before going on stage. He looked at Lance. He was paler than ever and had huge bags under his eyes. He looked like the color of the green vest he was wearing. Lance pounded his chest a couple times, coughed, and blinked. Then he shook his head. JC didn't have any time to contemplate what went on, because someone cued the music. * They finished two songs and took a break. Lance sat on the edge of the stage, out of sight of the fans. He rubbed his head. JC watched from afar as Johnny walked over to him, speaking softly. Lance shook his head. JC could barely make out the words "I can't..." Johnny put a hand on his shoulder and looked around. Then he said something else, and Lance turned his head away, trying not to cry. * Lance smiled for a brief second. He'd made it through the third song. But he was so tired...so...so tired... "Lance?" He couldn't hear JC talking, everything was fuzzy. And his chest hurt suddenly. That was weird...He couldn't hear...he was so tired... "Lance?!" Was someone talking? He felt his eyelids start to flutter and the room started to spin. Then he felt his legs waver. "Josh..." he managed to say, before everything went black. * JC stood in the waiting room. How was he now? Why weren't they saying anything? He thought back to those terrifying moments... ~Flashback~ "Lance?" He didn't look to good. He looked horrible, JC thought to himself. He'd somehow made it through all three songs, but now he kept blinking..."Lance?!" No answer. JC was scared. Very scared. Lance suddenly grabbed his arm. "Josh..." he said, before collapsing into JC's arms. "Oh God...GUYS!" he said, struggling to stay standing up. "GUYS!" They turned and saw JC with Lance in his arms. "Oh my God...what happened?" Joey asked, fear in his voice. JC forced himself to stay calm...he couldn't fail Lance right now, had to stay calm. "He just collapsed...I don't know," he said, panic creeping into his voice. Stay calm, he told himself. He slowly lowered them both to the ground. "Call 911," he said to Chris. Chris froze. "NOW!" he said, checking for a pulse. "Oh God...there's no pulse...Oh my God..." he grabbed Lance's hand. "Please...stay with us...don't leave me..." JC tried to stay calm, but inside, he was terrified. "I can't lose you," he said. "Please..." he checked for a pulse again, and started doing CPR. "Lance..." Where was the ambulance? "You can't...where the hell is the fucking ambulance?" "It's coming," Chris said. "It's coming..." he watched JC. It struck JC as he was trying to revive Lance. He couldn't live without him...he HAD to be okay...it had to be okay..."Lance, don't leave us...please..." Paramedics rushed up and took over. "Please...I love you..." ~End Flashback~ JC continued to pace. He'd really meant what he said...he realized that now. Too bad it took a near-tragedy for him to notice. Joey watched him. Lance would be okay, right? He was already dead and everything...He'd said he couldn't die again, hadn't he? Of course, he was still worried. But...the heartbeat...Lance didn't have one, did he? That would be a problem...His thoughts were interrupted by the door opening. He gasped when he saw who the doctor was. "Hello," he said. "I'm Dr. Nikolas Gates...I attended to J-- Lance?" JC stopped pacing. "How is he?" he asked, looking uneasily at the Doctor. There was something...odd about him... "Well," Dr. Gates said, regarding JC carefully, "The main problem was exhaustion," he said, somewhat disapprovingly. "I understand that in this line of work, you have an irregular schedule, but his body was so tired and dehydrated that it just shut down. That's why his heart stopped beating, though we did manage to start it up again," he said, giving Joey a significant look. Joey looked at the ground. "We did, however, notice that he's got a slight heart condition...that will be explained as soon as we get more information on it, right now it's between a few things...but he'll be on medication. You have to make sure to let him rest...he's doing that now...no more of these late night flights, all right?" he asked, peering over the rim of his glasses. They all nodded. "Can we go see him?" JC asked eagerly. Nikolas smiled in spite of himself. "Room 418." **~The Next Day~** "Lance! You're awake!" Joey exclaimed, jumping up. Lance blinked his eyes open. "Huh?" he asked, his voice hoarse. "You woke up!" he said happily. "Where's everyone else?" "In the waiting room," came another voice. Joey jumped backwards in shock, but Lance only groaned. "Nice to see you awake, James," Nikolas said. "Dr. Gates, huh?" Joey asked, shaking his head. Lance looked at them in disbelief. "You're kidding." Joey shook his head, a slight smile on his face. "Uh uh. He comes in as Dr. Gates and tells us what's wrong with you." "Oh my goodness," Lance said, shaking his head. Nikolas blew on his fingers and rubbed them off on his shirt. "Pretty good performance if I do say so myself." Joey looked over at him. "He's got a slight heart condition...that will be explained as soon as we get more information on it, right now it's between a few things...'?" he said, repeating Nikolas' words from the day before. Nikolas gave him an indignant look. Lance laughed a little. "Hey, Joey, remember who you're dealing with here." Joey blushed. "Oh yeah, sorry." "Don't worry about that," Nikolas assured him. "He's not a doctor," Lance said under his breath. "I should like YOU to remember who you're dealing with," Nikolas said haughtily. Lance burst out laughing. "I have a question..." Joey said timidly. "Go ahead," Nikolas said, still glaring at Lance. "How did he get by everyone if his heart wasn't beating?" "That's where I came in," Nikolas said. "I made it look like it was beating, even though it wasn't. The medication he's going to be on is going to make it beat though. Makes it easier for the checkups management will insist upon." "Special medication," Lance grumbled, then they were interrupted by a knock on the door, and then it opened. "Lance!" JC said happily. He wanted to kiss him, but wasn't sure if he should with the doctor in the room. Then he turned and looked. "Hi Dr. Gates...how's he doing?" Lance snorted, and JC looked at him oddly, but Lance just looked back innocently. "He's doing much better," Nikolas said, looking back at Lance with a warning glare. "But he still needs his REST or this might happen again." Lance saluted. "Yes sir." JC looked at him oddly again. "Have you two met before or something? Jeez."