Chapter 75

Inner Reflection | home

Nikolas held Lance in his arms, feeling the blond still tremble slightly.

"You sure you want to leave so soon?" he asked uncertainly. "Maybe you should wait until you feel better, or at least until Joshua--" Nikolas cut himself off abruptly.

"What are you talking about? What...what happened to him?" Lance asked, pulling away. "Does it have anything to do with why it wasn't as bad as it usually is?"

Nikolas frowned. "It wasn't?" he asked.

Lance rolled his eyes. "Well, it was still bad," he said, pain flashing in his green eyes before disappearing. "It just wasn't AS bad."

Nikolas was silent for a few minutes. "Joshua saw part of it," he said finally. Lance's eyes widened. "Actually, it was all of it. At the same time you did. And...he felt some of it, in his dream, on a much smaller scale."

"I hope it was smaller," Lance said, frowning. "Why?" he asked. "Why did he have to hurt too?" He peered over and saw JC crying in Joey's arms. Nikolas smiled tenderly. A blind man could see how much Lance loved the young man on earth. So much so, that he was surprised Lance wasn't biting his head off over it all. Though, he figured that Lance didn't have very much energy at that present moment...He loved JC, but the young angel still had so much to learn...

"You're soulmates," he said. "When you hurt, he hurts. Him feeling the pain of your death lessened it for you."

"But I didn't ask for that!" Lance protested. "I would've been fine feeling it all..." his voice faltered a little and Nikolas looked to see JC still trembling in Joey's embrace. He sighed.

"Once you find each other, admit your love for each other, you are connected forever."

Lance finally nodded his acceptance with a sigh. "I'm going back today," he said firmly.

Nikolas closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. "All right," he said, sighing. "You still have three more hours recovery time," he said. "And I need that time to get ready, though your being an innocent will make things easier."

"JC, you sure you're okay?" Joey asked.

JC took a few more deep breaths, walking out of the bathroom. "I'm fine," he said, wiping his face with his arms. "Thanks."

"No problem," Joey said with a smile. JC offered a tentative smile back, and both left the room.

"Morning," Chris chirped from behind a newspaper. Rather, the comics section of the newspaper...

JC waved a hand and Joey smiled. "Hey," he said.

"Man, get him back to bed!" Justin yelled from another room. "He's not s'posed to be up yet! I ain't done!"

JC looked at Joey, blue eyes wide. "Is Justin in the kitchen?"

Joey laughed. "Maybe?"

JC shook his head. "I ain't goin' back to bed...uh uh...I'm not hungry, not at all...I ain't goin...no..."

Chris smiled devilishly, not noticing the redness still surrounding JC's eyes. "Come on up." He and Joey grabbed JC, he at the feet and Joey grabbing the arms.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow...Joey you're pinching me!"

Joey laughed. When they reached JC's room, Joey lightly put JC down and opened the door wider. His eyes widened when he looked inside. "You've GOT to be kidding me," he muttered, a big smile coming over his face.

JC could hear rustling in his room but passed it off. "All RIGHT, you can put me DOWN NOW," he said. Chris was still holding him by the ankles. "All the blood is rushing to my head..."

"Not a chance, birthday boy. Justin's testing his cooking skills," Chris said. JC groaned.

"Let...me...down down down down down..." JC groaned pitifully. Chris slowly started to pull him the rest of the way into his room. "Let me go...OW! Stop it! Don't drag me, you dumbass! Ow, I think I'm getting rug burn..." Joey came over, looking over his shoulder, and picked JC up by the arms once more. "There, you baby, no more rug burn," He said, still smiling. JC stuck his tongue out. Joey rolled his eyes and he and Chris dumped JC on the bed.

"You do know that you left Justin in the kitchen to cook by himself, don't you?"

"Sure, Lance," Chris said, busying himself with trying to push down a now-laughing JC. "He'll be fine for a few minutes."

Lance sat in the desk chair, smiling amusedly and wearing jeans and a T-shirt. "If you say so. Hey," he said, looking at a piece of paper. "Did you know that the United States is counted as a foreign country for us?"

"If you say so, Poofu."

"Iraq is coming over with nuclear weapons."

"No, they're not, shut up, I'm busy."

Lance looked over at Joey, who was trying not to laugh. "What's it gonna take?" he mouthed over to the Italian. Joey shrugged with a smile on his face. Lance tried again. "I'm back from the dead."

Lance's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. Okay..." he figured JC would've realized the fact that he was back, but he was a little incoherent due to Chris' tickling. He snapped his fingers. "Busta's pissing all over your Playstation."

"Busta's pissing all over your Playstation," Lance repeated. "You don't notice when I tell you I'm back from the dead, but you're all ears when I mention your dog and your games getting pissed on in the same sentence. Go figure."

Chris had jumped off of JC and flown to the door, but he stopped mid-stride and spun around. "Wait a second..." He frowned and blinked. "LANCE?!"

"No, this is just a figment of your imagination," Lance shot back, standing up and rolling his eyes. In truth, though, he never thought he'd be this happy to hear Chris actually talk to him.

"Took you long enough," Joey snorted from the corner of the room. JC, finally recovering, sat up and first saw Joey doubled over in laughter on one side of the room. Then there was Chris, standing at the doorway, staring at the desk looking like he'd seen a gh...ost..."LANCE!" JC rocketed himself out of the bed and flew across the room. "OH MY GOD!" He tackled Lance to the ground, none of the four hearing the phone ring.

Chris smiled at the display and turned towards the stairs. "JUSTIN!"

"GET YOUR GHETTO ASS UP HERE!"

They could here Justin grumbling as he walked up the stairs, but he entered the room all the same. "What was so important that you had to...hey..." his eyes widened when he saw JC and Lance, who were now sitting up, JC in Lance's lap with his head buried in the crook of his neck, excitement for the moment pushed aside. Lance had his arms around JC, one hand lightly rubbing JC's back. JC's shoulders were shaking with sobs. "Lance?" Justin whispered.

Lance looked up, a small smile on his face. "Hey," he said.

Justin was rooted to the spot. He looked at Joey, who was smiling broadly, and Chris who was still staring at the pair on the floor, a faint smile playing across his lips. "You...you're...what are...why are you back?" he asked.

"You guys remembered," Lance said simply, tightening his grip around JC. "You guys remembered."

Nikolas observed the scene below him with a smile on his face, but with a twinge of sadness. He remembered saying goodbye to Lance, that had been hardest. Of course, he'd still visit...Now, Nikolas knew how Lance had felt once Joey knew about him. He remembered watching Lance fly around one last time. He remembered the look on the blond's face when Nikolas had said the words that made his wings disappear, leaving just a few feathers behind. Remembered the way he'd shaken his shoulders when they disappeared. Lance being an innocent made it take less time for it all to go through, the slight changes from angel to human Lance was making. He wasn't completely a human, but he wasn't an angel either. Sort of in limbo. He remembered the look of happiness he'd seen when Lance finally left to go back. And finally, he remembered that every time an angel had tried their harp, they had complained of it being out of tune.

"I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Justin said, still recovering from the shock, "but Lou just called and said that Ken was on his way over."

Lance and JC remained silent. "He's gotta come back sometime..." Just then, the doorbell rang. "Interesting morning we're having," Justin commented with a sigh, going downstairs to answer it. "Ken, Shari," they all heard him say loudly. "Fancy seeing you here. Come on in, but please don't take the money out of my cookie jar. My life savings, you know."

"Lance?" Chris asked. Lance looked up at him. "What about the group? Is Ken..."

"Ken's still in it, yeah," Lance replied with a sigh, feeling JC stiffen in his arms. "But, uhh, there's a way to--"

"Ken, by all means, HELP yourself to some of this--"

Lance smiled and jostled JC a little bit. "Hey, Josh," he said, "I'm gonna go meet him face to face. I'll be right back, okay?" JC sniffled and nodded, moving and leaning against the end of the bed. Lance went down the stairs.

"Who are YOU?" they heard Ken's voice float up the stairs.

"Hey, come here," Joey said, helping JC up. They went and stood near the top of the stairs. Lance, Ken, Shari, and Justin were in the living room below them.

"Who are you?" Ken asked again.

"This is Lance," Justin said. "Friend of ours."

Lance looked at them both, a little half smirk on his face. This was his replacement? "Hey," he said, sizing them both up again.

Ken didn't return the greeting. "What are you looking at?" he asked rudely.

Lance's smirk grew. He looked at them again, arched an eyebrow, and shook his head. "Not much."


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 75 Nikolas held Lance in his arms, feeling the blond still tremble slightly. "You sure you want to leave so soon?" he asked uncertainly. "Maybe you should wait until you feel better, or at least until Joshua--" Nikolas cut himself off abruptly. "What are you talking about? What...what happened to him?" Lance asked, pulling away. "Does it have anything to do with why it wasn't as bad as it usually is?" Nikolas frowned. "It wasn't?" he asked. Lance rolled his eyes. "Well, it was still bad," he said, pain flashing in his green eyes before disappearing. "It just wasn't AS bad." Nikolas was silent for a few minutes. "Joshua saw part of it," he said finally. Lance's eyes widened. "Actually, it was all of it. At the same time you did. And...he felt some of it, in his dream, on a much smaller scale." "I hope it was smaller," Lance said, frowning. "Why?" he asked. "Why did he have to hurt too?" He peered over and saw JC crying in Joey's arms. Nikolas smiled tenderly. A blind man could see how much Lance loved the young man on earth. So much so, that he was surprised Lance wasn't biting his head off over it all. Though, he figured that Lance didn't have very much energy at that present moment...He loved JC, but the young angel still had so much to learn... "You're soulmates," he said. "When you hurt, he hurts. Him feeling the pain of your death lessened it for you." "But I didn't ask for that!" Lance protested. "I would've been fine feeling it all..." his voice faltered a little and Nikolas looked to see JC still trembling in Joey's embrace. He sighed. "Once you find each other, admit your love for each other, you are connected forever." Lance finally nodded his acceptance with a sigh. "I'm going back today," he said firmly. Nikolas closed his eyes for a moment before opening them. "All right," he said, sighing. "You still have three more hours recovery time," he said. "And I need that time to get ready, though your being an innocent will make things easier." *** "JC, you sure you're okay?" Joey asked. JC took a few more deep breaths, walking out of the bathroom. "I'm fine," he said, wiping his face with his arms. "Thanks." "No problem," Joey said with a smile. JC offered a tentative smile back, and both left the room. "Morning," Chris chirped from behind a newspaper. Rather, the comics section of the newspaper... JC waved a hand and Joey smiled. "Hey," he said. "Man, get him back to bed!" Justin yelled from another room. "He's not s'posed to be up yet! I ain't done!" JC looked at Joey, blue eyes wide. "Is Justin in the kitchen?" Joey laughed. "Maybe?" JC shook his head. "I ain't goin' back to bed...uh uh...I'm not hungry, not at all...I ain't goin...no..." Chris smiled devilishly, not noticing the redness still surrounding JC's eyes. "Come on up." He and Joey grabbed JC, he at the feet and Joey grabbing the arms. "Ow ow ow ow ow ow...Joey you're pinching me!" Joey laughed. When they reached JC's room, Joey lightly put JC down and opened the door wider. His eyes widened when he looked inside. "You've GOT to be kidding me," he muttered, a big smile coming over his face. JC could hear rustling in his room but passed it off. "All RIGHT, you can put me DOWN NOW," he said. Chris was still holding him by the ankles. "All the blood is rushing to my head..." "Not a chance, birthday boy. Justin's testing his cooking skills," Chris said. JC groaned. "Let...me...down down down down down..." JC groaned pitifully. Chris slowly started to pull him the rest of the way into his room. "Let me go...OW! Stop it! Don't drag me, you dumbass! Ow, I think I'm getting rug burn..." Joey came over, looking over his shoulder, and picked JC up by the arms once more. "There, you baby, no more rug burn," He said, still smiling. JC stuck his tongue out. Joey rolled his eyes and he and Chris dumped JC on the bed. "You do know that you left Justin in the kitchen to cook by himself, don't you?" "Sure, Lance," Chris said, busying himself with trying to push down a now-laughing JC. "He'll be fine for a few minutes." Lance sat in the desk chair, smiling amusedly and wearing jeans and a T-shirt. "If you say so. Hey," he said, looking at a piece of paper. "Did you know that the United States is counted as a foreign country for us?" "If you say so, Poofu." "Iraq is coming over with nuclear weapons." "No, they're not, shut up, I'm busy." Lance looked over at Joey, who was trying not to laugh. "What's it gonna take?" he mouthed over to the Italian. Joey shrugged with a smile on his face. Lance tried again. "I'm back from the dead." "Whatever." Lance's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. Okay..." he figured JC would've realized the fact that he was back, but he was a little incoherent due to Chris' tickling. He snapped his fingers. "Busta's pissing all over your Playstation." "WHAT?!" "Busta's pissing all over your Playstation," Lance repeated. "You don't notice when I tell you I'm back from the dead, but you're all ears when I mention your dog and your games getting pissed on in the same sentence. Go figure." Chris had jumped off of JC and flown to the door, but he stopped mid-stride and spun around. "Wait a second..." He frowned and blinked. "LANCE?!" "No, this is just a figment of your imagination," Lance shot back, standing up and rolling his eyes. In truth, though, he never thought he'd be this happy to hear Chris actually talk to him. "Took you long enough," Joey snorted from the corner of the room. JC, finally recovering, sat up and first saw Joey doubled over in laughter on one side of the room. Then there was Chris, standing at the doorway, staring at the desk looking like he'd seen a gh...ost..."LANCE!" JC rocketed himself out of the bed and flew across the room. "OH MY GOD!" He tackled Lance to the ground, none of the four hearing the phone ring. Chris smiled at the display and turned towards the stairs. "JUSTIN!" "WHAT?" "GET YOUR GHETTO ASS UP HERE!" They could here Justin grumbling as he walked up the stairs, but he entered the room all the same. "What was so important that you had to...hey..." his eyes widened when he saw JC and Lance, who were now sitting up, JC in Lance's lap with his head buried in the crook of his neck, excitement for the moment pushed aside. Lance had his arms around JC, one hand lightly rubbing JC's back. JC's shoulders were shaking with sobs. "Lance?" Justin whispered. Lance looked up, a small smile on his face. "Hey," he said. Justin was rooted to the spot. He looked at Joey, who was smiling broadly, and Chris who was still staring at the pair on the floor, a faint smile playing across his lips. "You...you're...what are...why are you back?" he asked. "You guys remembered," Lance said simply, tightening his grip around JC. "You guys remembered." * Nikolas observed the scene below him with a smile on his face, but with a twinge of sadness. He remembered saying goodbye to Lance, that had been hardest. Of course, he'd still visit...Now, Nikolas knew how Lance had felt once Joey knew about him. He remembered watching Lance fly around one last time. He remembered the look on the blond's face when Nikolas had said the words that made his wings disappear, leaving just a few feathers behind. Remembered the way he'd shaken his shoulders when they disappeared. Lance being an innocent made it take less time for it all to go through, the slight changes from angel to human Lance was making. He wasn't completely a human, but he wasn't an angel either. Sort of in limbo. He remembered the look of happiness he'd seen when Lance finally left to go back. And finally, he remembered that every time an angel had tried their harp, they had complained of it being out of tune. ** "I hate to be the bearer of bad news," Justin said, still recovering from the shock, "but Lou just called and said that Ken was on his way over." "What?" "Why?" Lance and JC remained silent. "He's gotta come back sometime..." Just then, the doorbell rang. "Interesting morning we're having," Justin commented with a sigh, going downstairs to answer it. "Ken, Shari," they all heard him say loudly. "Fancy seeing you here. Come on in, but please don't take the money out of my cookie jar. My life savings, you know." "Lance?" Chris asked. Lance looked up at him. "What about the group? Is Ken..." "Ken's still in it, yeah," Lance replied with a sigh, feeling JC stiffen in his arms. "But, uhh, there's a way to--" "Ken, by all means, HELP yourself to some of this--" Lance smiled and jostled JC a little bit. "Hey, Josh," he said, "I'm gonna go meet him face to face. I'll be right back, okay?" JC sniffled and nodded, moving and leaning against the end of the bed. Lance went down the stairs. "Who are YOU?" they heard Ken's voice float up the stairs. "Hey, come here," Joey said, helping JC up. They went and stood near the top of the stairs. Lance, Ken, Shari, and Justin were in the living room below them. "Who are you?" Ken asked again. "This is Lance," Justin said. "Friend of ours." Lance looked at them both, a little half smirk on his face. This was his replacement? "Hey," he said, sizing them both up again. Ken didn't return the greeting. "What are you looking at?" he asked rudely. Lance's smirk grew. He looked at them again, arched an eyebrow, and shook his head. "Not much."