Chapter 49

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Chapter 49

"Josh, I'm fine. Trust me, I'm not an invalid!" Lance said, frustrated. It had been a REALLY long day. It was pouring and there was a huge thunderstorm going on. Justin was sick now, throwing up every hour. But JC kept hounding HIM instead of Justin.

JC looked hurt. "I'm sorry. But I worry more than you do. I don't want this to happen again..."

Lance sighed. "I know, I know. But just...let me breathe a TINY bit? Just because I blink doesn't mean I'm gonna pass out. Justin's in worse shape than I am."

JC pursed his lips and went to leave the room, knocking his leg into an open drawer in the process. He angrily slammed it shut, but then spun around. His next words were spoken in anger, and anger alone. Everything over the past couple weeks, all the anger, frustration, the scared feelings, the way Lance was starting to push him away, and it was all set off by him hitting his leg on that stupid cabinet. "You know what? Maybe I SHOULD just leave you alone. Let you breathe." Lance's eyes widened. "Every single time I try to help you, you want me to leave you alone. Whenever I TRY to care about you, you push me away. Is this worth it, Lance? Huh? You won't even tell ME what Lou said to you in the hospital to make you start to freaking hyperventilate, dammit! You won't tell me what this 'big secret' is that ONLY Joey knows about. JOEY for God's sake! And have I pressed you into telling me?" Lance remained silent, not knowing JC wanted an answer. JC leaned forward. "Have I?" Lance shook his head, eyes still wide, but he didn't say a word. He knew he had messed up. He KNEW he was pushing JC away. He KNEW it. But he had to...suddenly, though...he didn't want to anymore. JC continued. "No, I haven't. Why? Because I wanted to give you SPACE. But now you're pushing me away, Lance! You're pushing me away and I can't take any more of this! Maybe I should give you the space you so desperately need to have." He moved away from Lance but started for the door.

Lance sat in shock. No...he couldn't let JC leave like this...not...like this..."Josh, wait, please." The pleading tone calmed JC down a bit. He spun around and looked at Lance. Lance closed his eyes and swallowed.

"Please don't go. I know that if you walk out that door now...then I'll lose you forever. And I'm not ready to give you up yet."

"They are so cute together," Nikolas heard someone whisper to another.

The other angel giggled. "I know! This is so dramatic!" Nikolas rolled his eyes.

The first sighed. "Too bad they can't really be together."

Nikolas looked at the two, and a frown creased his brow. It really WAS too bad. He cleared his throat, and the two female angels jumped up. "Yes sir?" one asked.

"Let them have their peace," he said, smile crossing his face. The girls nodded their heads and stopped watching.

JC looked at Lance, but he didn't move. He rested his hand against the door frame. "Why won't you let me in, Lance? What are you so afraid of?"

Lance swallowed and took a deep breath. "Everything. I'm afraid of losing you one day. I'm afraid of tomorrow, I'm afraid of Lou, I'm afraid of the public finding out about us. But mostly? I'm afraid of you walking out that door...and never again feeling the way I feel when I'm with you."

JC stood still, silent. He closed his eyes. "Lance..." he swallowed, thinking of what to say. He had no idea. "Lance," he started again. "I love you," he said. Lance sat up straight, eyes wide. JC didn't see, his eyes were still closed. But he opened them, and Lance saw all the passion he'd always admired about JC, the feeling he could express with those eyes, the way he'd purse his lips when concentrating. He swallowed again. "I love you more than anyone I've ever loved before. No...I love you more than I've thought I've ever loved anyone before. I don't know if you feel the same, but I'm absolutely nuts about you. I realized that when you passed out. Lance, I can't live without you. My life before you in it...means nothing to me." He looked at Lance to see the blond looking down at the comforter on his bed, tracing the pattern out with his fingers. Line this way, curve to the left, straight line here, diagonal over there-- "Lance," JC said, moving to Lance's side. Lance didn't look up. Curve to the right, straight line there, line that way-- "Lance, look at me," JC said, taking his chin in his hand for the second time that day. He forced Lance to look him in the eyes. What did he see? Happiness...but fear...Fear?! "Lance?"

A tear slid down Lance's cheek and he rubbed it away and JC barely saw it. "Josh," he whispered. "I don't...I don't know what to--"

"LANCE! JC!" Chris burst in the door.

JC looked at him angrily. "What?!"

"I...Sorry to interrupt, but...it's..."

"Chris, spit it out," Lance said, blinking and looking over JC's shoulder.

"It's Justin," Chris finally said.

Lance sat up straight. "What about him?"

"There's something wrong with him...he can't...he can't move without like screaming in pain...he says it's his stomach...I mean, I know he was sick earlier, but...I didn't think..."

"His appendix," Lance said immediately.

"What?" Chris asked, perplexed.

Lance slapped his forehead and stood up. "I'm SO sorry, Josh, but..."

"That's okay," JC replied. "I'm worried about him too." He stood up as well. "How do you know what it is?"

Lance left the room, followed closely by Chris and JC. "My...sister..." he said vaguely.

"Lance," Justin moaned, the second he entered the room. "It hurts so much...make it stop," he said, clutching his stomach.

Lance cursed when the power suddenly went out. "Shit. We can't call the hospital...Justin, me and JC are gonna try to get you out to the car, okay?" Justin nodded. JC and Lance got to opposite sides of him. Supporting him, they walked him out to Lance's car and laid him in the backseat. Joey strapped him in, then he and Chris got into another car. Lance drove, and JC sat in the front seat, carefully keeping an eye on Justin. "We can't get a break," Lance muttered as they pulled into the lot. Joey and JC got Justin inside, while Lance explained what was going on. Then Justin was whisked away, and all they could do was...wait.

"I'm Dr. Gomez...looking for the people that are hear for a Justin Timberlake?"

"That's us," Chris said, jumping up. The others followed suit. "What...how is he?"

"Well," Dr. Gomez said, "The young man from before..."

"Lance," Joey prompted, gesturing to Lance.

"Lance," Dr. Gomez nodded. "He was right about the patient's appendix. In fact, too much later and it would have ruptured...we've removed it, but it will be a while before he can be up and about..." he opened Justin's door. "Here we are." He soon left to deal with other patients.

"Hey guys," Justin said weakly.

"Hey...wanna TELL us before you decide to have body parts removed next time?" Chris asked.

"It's not as fun as it looks, old man," Justin shot back. "Anyone up to going and getting me something to do? I've been awake for less than an hour and I'm bored."

"Look at that, making demands," Lance teased. "I'll go."

"I'll go with you," JC said, jumping at the chance. Lance walked to the door and held it open, then followed after JC. He looked back at them and gave them a wave before quietly shutting the door behind him.

"Something up between those two?" Justin asked.

Chris shrugged. "We heard a little shouting, and they looked like they were making up when I walked in there, but I dunno."

"I wanna drive," JC said with a pout.

Lance shrugged. "Go ahead, it's Joey's car." He tossed JC the keys and JC unlocked the door.

"Off we go," JC said. Lance rolled his eyes and JC hit him on the back of the head. He grinned and they started moving.

They'd been stopped at an intersection for a while when the light finally turned green and it was their turn to cross. JC didn't see the car coming head on, slightly to Lance's side. The rain was too heavy; the car didn't have lights on for some stupid reason. Some stupid, stupid reason. But Lance saw the car, saw who was in it. The car coming out of nowhere. "JC, watch out!" he yelled...but he was too late. Instincts taking over, Lance pulled JC underneath him as they felt the impact. The last thing Lance could feel was something crushing his side and seeing a faint, faint glow coming from the cross JC had given him.

"Oh my...this is such a mess...what the hell happen-- Oh my GOD in heaven!"

"What, Jack?"

"Matt, look at this...this kid has a piece of freaking metal or something...a car part in his side...coming out of his side...but he's NOT bleeding. Not at ALL." Cautiously, Jack moved the body and moved the piece of...whatever out. "Oh my God. There's nothing wrong with him. There's nothing wrong."

"Benny's gone."

"What do you mean?"

"He was destroyed trying to hurt you two. He's a Lost Soul now. Trust me, that is a very painful process. But now...you've got a big problem."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 49 "Josh, I'm fine. Trust me, I'm not an invalid!" Lance said, frustrated. It had been a REALLY long day. It was pouring and there was a huge thunderstorm going on. Justin was sick now, throwing up every hour. But JC kept hounding HIM instead of Justin. JC looked hurt. "I'm sorry. But I worry more than you do. I don't want this to happen again..." Lance sighed. "I know, I know. But just...let me breathe a TINY bit? Just because I blink doesn't mean I'm gonna pass out. Justin's in worse shape than I am." JC pursed his lips and went to leave the room, knocking his leg into an open drawer in the process. He angrily slammed it shut, but then spun around. His next words were spoken in anger, and anger alone. Everything over the past couple weeks, all the anger, frustration, the scared feelings, the way Lance was starting to push him away, and it was all set off by him hitting his leg on that stupid cabinet. "You know what? Maybe I SHOULD just leave you alone. Let you breathe." Lance's eyes widened. "Every single time I try to help you, you want me to leave you alone. Whenever I TRY to care about you, you push me away. Is this worth it, Lance? Huh? You won't even tell ME what Lou said to you in the hospital to make you start to freaking hyperventilate, dammit! You won't tell me what this 'big secret' is that ONLY Joey knows about. JOEY for God's sake! And have I pressed you into telling me?" Lance remained silent, not knowing JC wanted an answer. JC leaned forward. "Have I?" Lance shook his head, eyes still wide, but he didn't say a word. He knew he had messed up. He KNEW he was pushing JC away. He KNEW it. But he had to...suddenly, though...he didn't want to anymore. JC continued. "No, I haven't. Why? Because I wanted to give you SPACE. But now you're pushing me away, Lance! You're pushing me away and I can't take any more of this! Maybe I should give you the space you so desperately need to have." He moved away from Lance but started for the door. Lance sat in shock. No...he couldn't let JC leave like this...not...like this..."Josh, wait, please." The pleading tone calmed JC down a bit. He spun around and looked at Lance. Lance closed his eyes and swallowed. "Please don't go. I know that if you walk out that door now...then I'll lose you forever. And I'm not ready to give you up yet." * "They are so cute together," Nikolas heard someone whisper to another. The other angel giggled. "I know! This is so dramatic!" Nikolas rolled his eyes. The first sighed. "Too bad they can't really be together." Nikolas looked at the two, and a frown creased his brow. It really WAS too bad. He cleared his throat, and the two female angels jumped up. "Yes sir?" one asked. "Let them have their peace," he said, smile crossing his face. The girls nodded their heads and stopped watching. * JC looked at Lance, but he didn't move. He rested his hand against the door frame. "Why won't you let me in, Lance? What are you so afraid of?" Lance swallowed and took a deep breath. "Everything. I'm afraid of losing you one day. I'm afraid of tomorrow, I'm afraid of Lou, I'm afraid of the public finding out about us. But mostly? I'm afraid of you walking out that door...and never again feeling the way I feel when I'm with you." JC stood still, silent. He closed his eyes. "Lance..." he swallowed, thinking of what to say. He had no idea. "Lance," he started again. "I love you," he said. Lance sat up straight, eyes wide. JC didn't see, his eyes were still closed. But he opened them, and Lance saw all the passion he'd always admired about JC, the feeling he could express with those eyes, the way he'd purse his lips when concentrating. He swallowed again. "I love you more than anyone I've ever loved before. No...I love you more than I've thought I've ever loved anyone before. I don't know if you feel the same, but I'm absolutely nuts about you. I realized that when you passed out. Lance, I can't live without you. My life before you in it...means nothing to me." He looked at Lance to see the blond looking down at the comforter on his bed, tracing the pattern out with his fingers. Line this way, curve to the left, straight line here, diagonal over there-- "Lance," JC said, moving to Lance's side. Lance didn't look up. Curve to the right, straight line there, line that way-- "Lance, look at me," JC said, taking his chin in his hand for the second time that day. He forced Lance to look him in the eyes. What did he see? Happiness...but fear...Fear?! "Lance?" A tear slid down Lance's cheek and he rubbed it away and JC barely saw it. "Josh," he whispered. "I don't...I don't know what to--" "LANCE! JC!" Chris burst in the door. JC looked at him angrily. "What?!" "I...Sorry to interrupt, but...it's..." "Chris, spit it out," Lance said, blinking and looking over JC's shoulder. "It's Justin," Chris finally said. Lance sat up straight. "What about him?" "There's something wrong with him...he can't...he can't move without like screaming in pain...he says it's his stomach...I mean, I know he was sick earlier, but...I didn't think..." "His appendix," Lance said immediately. "What?" Chris asked, perplexed. Lance slapped his forehead and stood up. "I'm SO sorry, Josh, but..." "That's okay," JC replied. "I'm worried about him too." He stood up as well. "How do you know what it is?" Lance left the room, followed closely by Chris and JC. "My...sister..." he said vaguely. "Lance," Justin moaned, the second he entered the room. "It hurts so much...make it stop," he said, clutching his stomach. Lance cursed when the power suddenly went out. "Shit. We can't call the hospital...Justin, me and JC are gonna try to get you out to the car, okay?" Justin nodded. JC and Lance got to opposite sides of him. Supporting him, they walked him out to Lance's car and laid him in the backseat. Joey strapped him in, then he and Chris got into another car. Lance drove, and JC sat in the front seat, carefully keeping an eye on Justin. "We can't get a break," Lance muttered as they pulled into the lot. Joey and JC got Justin inside, while Lance explained what was going on. Then Justin was whisked away, and all they could do was...wait. * "I'm Dr. Gomez...looking for the people that are hear for a Justin Timberlake?" "That's us," Chris said, jumping up. The others followed suit. "What...how is he?" "Well," Dr. Gomez said, "The young man from before..." "Lance," Joey prompted, gesturing to Lance. "Lance," Dr. Gomez nodded. "He was right about the patient's appendix. In fact, too much later and it would have ruptured...we've removed it, but it will be a while before he can be up and about..." he opened Justin's door. "Here we are." He soon left to deal with other patients. "Hey guys," Justin said weakly. "Hey...wanna TELL us before you decide to have body parts removed next time?" Chris asked. "It's not as fun as it looks, old man," Justin shot back. "Anyone up to going and getting me something to do? I've been awake for less than an hour and I'm bored." "Look at that, making demands," Lance teased. "I'll go." "I'll go with you," JC said, jumping at the chance. Lance walked to the door and held it open, then followed after JC. He looked back at them and gave them a wave before quietly shutting the door behind him. "Something up between those two?" Justin asked. Chris shrugged. "We heard a little shouting, and they looked like they were making up when I walked in there, but I dunno." * "I wanna drive," JC said with a pout. Lance shrugged. "Go ahead, it's Joey's car." He tossed JC the keys and JC unlocked the door. "Off we go," JC said. Lance rolled his eyes and JC hit him on the back of the head. He grinned and they started moving. They'd been stopped at an intersection for a while when the light finally turned green and it was their turn to cross. JC didn't see the car coming head on, slightly to Lance's side. The rain was too heavy; the car didn't have lights on for some stupid reason. Some stupid, stupid reason. But Lance saw the car, saw who was in it. The car coming out of nowhere. "JC, watch out!" he yelled...but he was too late. Instincts taking over, Lance pulled JC underneath him as they felt the impact. The last thing Lance could feel was something crushing his side and seeing a faint, faint glow coming from the cross JC had given him. * "Oh my...this is such a mess...what the hell happen-- Oh my GOD in heaven!" "What, Jack?" "Matt, look at this...this kid has a piece of freaking metal or something...a car part in his side...coming out of his side...but he's NOT bleeding. Not at ALL." Cautiously, Jack moved the body and moved the piece of...whatever out. "Oh my God. There's nothing wrong with him. There's nothing wrong." * "Benny's gone." "What do you mean?" "He was destroyed trying to hurt you two. He's a Lost Soul now. Trust me, that is a very painful process. But now...you've got a big problem."