Chapter 63

Lance was totally confused. He'd been powerless before, but he could slowly feel everything coming back to him. He wondered what had caused it. He didn't know how long he'd been there, and he wondered how everyone was doing. He'd TRIED to get Joey's attention; he know that if Nikolas couldn't figure out what happened, he'd ask Joey...as a last resort, of course. He hoped it had worked. He knew Joey saw him, but after that, he couldn't really pay much attention...they had just grabbed him...

He shifted and winced in pain. Lance wasn't exactly sure of WHAT they had done to his back; he only knew that it hurt. It had looked like a whip of some sort. He didn't even know what they wanted from him. The guy he assumed was Satan himself kept making reference to him being "an innocent one," but he wasn't one of them, was he? He couldn't be...

This whole experience was rather terrifying and Lance didn't know what was going on or what was going to happen next. He was still tied up too. He didn't think would ever untie him either. He sighed, pulling against the restraints a little, knowing that some of his strength was somehow returning. Lance found himself shocked when he saw that they almost gave. A long time ago, Nikolas had mentioned that when an angel is in hell for one reason or another, they have to get out before everything is drained...or they'd never be able to leave. But here he was, fine, even gaining energy back. He didn't get it, and pulled a little again.

"How nice of you to join me, Satan," Lance said after the initial surprise of not being so...alone anymore. "I was starting to get bored," he added dryly.

"You say that like it's a bad thing," the Devil commented. Lance glared at him. "And you're still all feisty. Don't worry, we can fix that." He stepped forward. "You almost had me fooled, James," he commented. "Almost. See, you were terrified when we first got you here. You tried to hide it, but I could tell. I could SMELL your fear. But all you had to do was...adjust to your surroundings. Your new home," he sneered.

"Ah, you say that now, but neither will earth, will it? You died there at SUCH a young age. Tragic really. Then you got the chance to go back, but you screwed it up, didn't you?" Lance didn't say anything. "Why was that, James? Why don't you tell me that?"

"Well, I DO believe I know why...hmm...why was it, James? Why did they take you away? Oh, I know! You broke one of THEIR rules, didn't you? You fell in love." He sighed and stepped forward again. "And then you got taken away. And now you're here. Who exactly did you fall in love with? What was his name?" Lance didn't say a word, only glared. "I remember now! Joshua. That was his name." Lance stiffened. "How is he, by the way? Nothing...bad has happened to him? I wonder what you would do if something were to happen to him? Hmm? Would that...bother you, James?"

"Did I strike a nerve? Touche." The Devil snickered. "I wouldn't dream of it, although..." he conjured up an image of JC and Lance turned his head to watch it. It looked as if the man was talking to someone, maybe the other members of the group. "How sweet." He stepped forward and took Lance's chin his hand, stroking the side of his face softly. Lance turned his head away and looked down. "I wouldn't touch him, I can't, but..."

Innocent! THAT'S why they wanted him. There was no other explanation. This whole deal was certainly more than they'd originally thought...Nikolas sighed and closed his eyes. How would they get him back? He knew the blond angel could hold his own for a bit, but how long? Suddenly, the day he'd first seen Lance popped into his mind...

Nikolas looked at the young man that had curled himself into a tiny ball. "Leave me alone," he drawled. "I'm sorry...I don't...this is a dream, please...just let me wake up and...please, I just want to..."

Nikolas bent down next to the shaking young man and sighed sadly when he flinched at the touch. "Shh," he said. "It's all right, you're fine now, don't worry..."

He'd continued to soothe Lance for the better part of a day before he'd calmed down enough to listen to reason. "You're all right, no one will hurt you again."

Lance looked up for the first time, and for the first time, Nikolas saw how unusual his eyes really were. "You promise?" he asked, his voice still small and scared sounding. He was twenty-one, but he was scared out of his mind. Who cared of it wasn't the 'masculine' thing? Nikolas didn't seem to mind...

He'd broken his promise. Lance was hurting now, he was sure of it. And he KNEW that when he'd been taken away from earth, he was hurting then too. He'd broken his promise. How could Nikolas have known that they would come after him, though? How could anyone have known what would happen?

"Do you get the feeling that there's something more...something neither of them are telling us?" Justin asked, scratching the side of his face and rubbing his eyes. He looked at JC, who'd finally fallen asleep after being assured that the others wouldn't try to pry more information out of him while he was sleeping. He'd tested them a few times that week, and they fell for it every time. Joey had disappeared, they figured he went clubbing or went to sleep. Justin and Chris were having a "serious" conversation, the first in...a long time.

Ken was gone. Lou said he was on a "break." Of course, Ken got a break, but they couldn't have one? All of them remembered how worried they'd been when Justin had had a breakdown the year before. He'd just started bawling his eyes out for no apparent reason...but that was behind them.

"I don't know," Chris replied. He was thinking about Ken, too. And how none of them were getting along with him lately...case in point being that all out fist fight they'd had. But he deserved it, Chris reasoned with himself. He'd crossed a line. "I wonder if...maybe...what do you think he's dreaming about now?" He asked, seeing JC with a small smile curling his lips and an statement of happiness on his face. He snuggled closer to the pillow he'd somehow managed to start holding onto, and buried his head in the one it was on.

Chris shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled a little. "But he's so CUTE!" He yanked back on Justin's arm. Caught unaware, Justin fell to the ground. Chris started laughing. "Poor baby."

"Me?" Chris asked innocently, finally getting up and leaving JC alone. "Hey, what are you waiting for? Leave the poor man alone!"

"Maybe I didn't make myself clear," Lance said. "You're not getting my soul and you're NOT touching Josh. You're crazy." The Devil turned around and Lance pulled again, feeling the restraints almost fall apart.

Satan looked back at Lance suspiciously. "And what makes you think you can stop me?" he asked. "You're powerless here. And you have a weakness that hasn't been hard to discover. A certain few men, maybe? Two more than others? That's your weakness, James, and THAT'S how we caught you." Lance flinched but didn't say anything. "You know what we're capable of. We DID manage to get you, didn't we? So why don't you just cooperate?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that," Lance said quietly. With one final yank, he felt everything holding him break and he was free. "I won't let you touch them." He surprised both of them when he softly started to glow. Spreading his wings, he looked at the other one more time. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave them all alone." He looked away and that was his mistake. Suddenly, he felt something grabbing at his wings and he fell to the ground in pain. He struggled as he heard maniacal laughter coming from more than one mouth.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 63 Lance was totally confused. He'd been powerless before, but he could slowly feel everything coming back to him. He wondered what had caused it. He didn't know how long he'd been there, and he wondered how everyone was doing. He'd TRIED to get Joey's attention; he know that if Nikolas couldn't figure out what happened, he'd ask Joey...as a last resort, of course. He hoped it had worked. He knew Joey saw him, but after that, he couldn't really pay much attention...they had just grabbed him... He shifted and winced in pain. Lance wasn't exactly sure of WHAT they had done to his back; he only knew that it hurt. It had looked like a whip of some sort. He didn't even know what they wanted from him. The guy he assumed was Satan himself kept making reference to him being "an innocent one," but he wasn't one of them, was he? He couldn't be... This whole experience was rather terrifying and Lance didn't know what was going on or what was going to happen next. He was still tied up too. He didn't think would ever untie him either. He sighed, pulling against the restraints a little, knowing that some of his strength was somehow returning. Lance found himself shocked when he saw that they almost gave. A long time ago, Nikolas had mentioned that when an angel is in hell for one reason or another, they have to get out before everything is drained...or they'd never be able to leave. But here he was, fine, even gaining energy back. He didn't get it, and pulled a little again. "Still pulling, I see?" "How nice of you to join me, Satan," Lance said after the initial surprise of not being so...alone anymore. "I was starting to get bored," he added dryly. "You say that like it's a bad thing," the Devil commented. Lance glared at him. "And you're still all feisty. Don't worry, we can fix that." He stepped forward. "You almost had me fooled, James," he commented. "Almost. See, you were terrified when we first got you here. You tried to hide it, but I could tell. I could SMELL your fear. But all you had to do was...adjust to your surroundings. Your new home," he sneered. Lance glared. "This will NEVER be my home," he said angrily. "Ah, you say that now, but neither will earth, will it? You died there at SUCH a young age. Tragic really. Then you got the chance to go back, but you screwed it up, didn't you?" Lance didn't say anything. "Why was that, James? Why don't you tell me that?" "No," Lance said coldly. "Well, I DO believe I know why...hmm...why was it, James? Why did they take you away? Oh, I know! You broke one of THEIR rules, didn't you? You fell in love." He sighed and stepped forward again. "And then you got taken away. And now you're here. Who exactly did you fall in love with? What was his name?" Lance didn't say a word, only glared. "I remember now! Joshua. That was his name." Lance stiffened. "How is he, by the way? Nothing...bad has happened to him? I wonder what you would do if something were to happen to him? Hmm? Would that...bother you, James?" Lance pulled furiously against his restraints. "Leave Josh alone," he said. "Don't even think about touching him." "Did I strike a nerve? Touche." The Devil snickered. "I wouldn't dream of it, although..." he conjured up an image of JC and Lance turned his head to watch it. It looked as if the man was talking to someone, maybe the other members of the group. "How sweet." He stepped forward and took Lance's chin his hand, stroking the side of his face softly. Lance turned his head away and looked down. "I wouldn't touch him, I can't, but..." "What do you want?" Lance asked softly, pulling discreetly at the bonds holding him and feeling them give a little bit more. "That's really quite simple, James. All I want is...your soul." ***** Nikolas couldn't believe this was happening. It had been a week since his own charge, the kind, caring, innocent-- Innocent! THAT'S why they wanted him. There was no other explanation. This whole deal was certainly more than they'd originally thought...Nikolas sighed and closed his eyes. How would they get him back? He knew the blond angel could hold his own for a bit, but how long? Suddenly, the day he'd first seen Lance popped into his mind... ~Flashback~ Nikolas looked at the young man that had curled himself into a tiny ball. "Leave me alone," he drawled. "I'm sorry...I don't...this is a dream, please...just let me wake up and...please, I just want to..." Nikolas was perplexed. He'd never seen anyone SCARED of this place before...most welcomed it with open arms. "Um, James--" "I know I'm a sinner...I'm bad, I shouldn't...I just want to go where I belong, I don't..." Nikolas bent down next to the shaking young man and sighed sadly when he flinched at the touch. "Shh," he said. "It's all right, you're fine now, don't worry..." He'd continued to soothe Lance for the better part of a day before he'd calmed down enough to listen to reason. "You're all right, no one will hurt you again." Lance looked up for the first time, and for the first time, Nikolas saw how unusual his eyes really were. "You promise?" he asked, his voice still small and scared sounding. He was twenty-one, but he was scared out of his mind. Who cared of it wasn't the 'masculine' thing? Nikolas didn't seem to mind... "I promise." ~End Flashback~ He'd broken his promise. Lance was hurting now, he was sure of it. And he KNEW that when he'd been taken away from earth, he was hurting then too. He'd broken his promise. How could Nikolas have known that they would come after him, though? How could anyone have known what would happen? *** "Do you get the feeling that there's something more...something neither of them are telling us?" Justin asked, scratching the side of his face and rubbing his eyes. He looked at JC, who'd finally fallen asleep after being assured that the others wouldn't try to pry more information out of him while he was sleeping. He'd tested them a few times that week, and they fell for it every time. Joey had disappeared, they figured he went clubbing or went to sleep. Justin and Chris were having a "serious" conversation, the first in...a long time. Ken was gone. Lou said he was on a "break." Of course, Ken got a break, but they couldn't have one? All of them remembered how worried they'd been when Justin had had a breakdown the year before. He'd just started bawling his eyes out for no apparent reason...but that was behind them. "I don't know," Chris replied. He was thinking about Ken, too. And how none of them were getting along with him lately...case in point being that all out fist fight they'd had. But he deserved it, Chris reasoned with himself. He'd crossed a line. "I wonder if...maybe...what do you think he's dreaming about now?" He asked, seeing JC with a small smile curling his lips and an statement of happiness on his face. He snuggled closer to the pillow he'd somehow managed to start holding onto, and buried his head in the one it was on. "I think he's dreaming about someone," Justin said with a smile. "Look at the way he's holding that pillow." Chris grinned and tried to tug it away mischievously. JC only moaned a little and held it tighter. "Aww," he said. Justin tugged at Chris. "Leave him alone, Lucky," he said. Chris shrugged and allowed himself to be pulled a little. "But he's so CUTE!" He yanked back on Justin's arm. Caught unaware, Justin fell to the ground. Chris started laughing. "Poor baby." Justin got up, rubbing his butt. "Freak," he muttered. "Me?" Chris asked innocently, finally getting up and leaving JC alone. "Hey, what are you waiting for? Leave the poor man alone!" "You ARE a freak, you know that?" "And you're a jackass. Who cares?" *** Lance could feel the hot breath on his neck. "You aren't getting my soul. Sorry." "Then I can't be held responsible for what happens to precious Joshua," the Devil sing songed. "And it would be TERRIBLE if--" "Maybe I didn't make myself clear," Lance said. "You're not getting my soul and you're NOT touching Josh. You're crazy." The Devil turned around and Lance pulled again, feeling the restraints almost fall apart. "What was that noise?" he asked, quickly turning back around. "What noise?" Lance asked, feigning innocence. Satan looked back at Lance suspiciously. "And what makes you think you can stop me?" he asked. "You're powerless here. And you have a weakness that hasn't been hard to discover. A certain few men, maybe? Two more than others? That's your weakness, James, and THAT'S how we caught you." Lance flinched but didn't say anything. "You know what we're capable of. We DID manage to get you, didn't we? So why don't you just cooperate?" "I'm afraid I can't do that," Lance said quietly. With one final yank, he felt everything holding him break and he was free. "I won't let you touch them." He surprised both of them when he softly started to glow. Spreading his wings, he looked at the other one more time. "If you know what's good for you, you'll leave them all alone." He looked away and that was his mistake. Suddenly, he felt something grabbing at his wings and he fell to the ground in pain. He struggled as he heard maniacal laughter coming from more than one mouth.