Chapter 92

"Lance?" JC asked. "What did you and Chris talk about on Friday?"

"When you and Chris were talking Friday morning. What did you two talk about?" JC repeated.

"Oh, nothing," Lance said distractedly, suddenly finding the patterns on the sheets very interesting.

"Oh, so I suppose that little nothing made you cry?" JC asked sarcastically. "Lance," he said, his tone softer, "You're always telling me to open up to you...follow your own advice," he said.

"Don't," JC finished. "Lance, I know you cried, you don't have to hide it from me. And I know this is wearing you down. I know the reason you're always sleeping is because you're up all night working on the numbers. You need to sleep, Lance. And you need to talk to me. Please?"

Lance swallowed and nodded. "Josh, I will, I promise, but...not now? Please? It was so hard telling Chris, and I need to work myself up--"

"You could tell Chris and not me?" JC asked, sounding hurt.

Lance shook his head. "No, not at all," Lance said. "He needed to hear it then. You don't...You don't need to hear it as much as he did."

"No," JC said, shaking his head. "Just the situation. I just want this all to be over.”

"A court day's been set for the day before Thanksgiving," Nikolas said, hopping up on the counter.

"The 23rd, I think? Or is it the 24th? Whatever. It's a Wednesday," Nikolas said.

Joey ignored him and swallowed. "Can we...can we do this? Really?" he asked.

"Of course we can," JC said firmly. His voice started to waver as he spoke. "Three weeks away. We can handle that, no problem. Three weeks to get ready. We have time." His voice cracked and he winced. "Anyone else thirsty? Wow, my throat is dry." He stood up.

JC shut his mouth and sat down. "Sorry," he said meekly.

Nikolas cleared his throat. "Now we need to figure out when you guys should talk and when you have to keep your mouths shut."

"Mouth shut?" Chris sputtered indignantly. "We don't need you to tell us

"Yeah," JC said. He sheepishly held up about 6 empty coffee containers. "I'm gonna go buy some filters or something. Much less expensive."

Lance laughed out loud. "Buy me some candy or something," he said.

Lance shrugged. "I don't care. Skittles or something, I suppose."

"Buy your own damn Skittles," Lance said, folding his arms over his chest.

"No way! In case you haven't noticed, we're being sued for an obscene amount of money. I can't spare the money to go buy two bags of Skittles," JC said matter-of-factly.

"Good Lord, Josh! It's a bag of Skittles! Buy however many you want," Lance said, shaking his head.

"Well I didn't want to share with you anyway," JC said, trying to prevent a smile from creeping up on his face.

"You're baiting me," Lance said mildly. "I'm not falling for it..."

"I'm sure I do. Would you like me to reimburse you for the cost of my own Skittles?"

"Hey now, that's pushing it. You enjoy 20th Century food too much."

"No one else wants any food, do they? Lance is already cheating me out of a buck fifty with all his candy."

"Hey, I can't help it if I never got any," Lance defended. "Candy's yummy."

"NO," JC said. "You are NOT getting Pixie Stix, Chris."

"One of those big-ass ones, you know, the ones that are like, tubes of it? Those. Blue, if they've got it."

"Aww, come on, Dad," Chris whined. "I'll be good. Get me two and I'll save one for later!"

"Fine. I'm leaving now," JC said. "Dammit, all I wanted were some coffee filters. Lookit what you did, Lance."

Whistles and catcalls broke out as Lance and JC kissed in the doorway. They broke apart, blushing. JC laughed and stepped outside. "Bye Lance."

Lance turned and walked to the other guys, who were smiling innocently at him. "Don't say anything," he warned. "Not a peep."

Lance groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I hate you all," he muttered.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Sent From Above Chapter 92 "Lance?" JC asked. "What did you and Chris talk about on Friday?" "Huh?" "When you and Chris were talking Friday morning. What did you two talk about?" JC repeated. "Oh, nothing," Lance said distractedly, suddenly finding the patterns on the sheets very interesting. "Oh, so I suppose that little nothing made you cry?" JC asked sarcastically. "Lance," he said, his tone softer, "You're always telling me to open up to you...follow your own advice," he said. "I don't--" Lance shifted uncomfortably. "I..." "Don't," JC finished. "Lance, I know you cried, you don't have to hide it from me. And I know this is wearing you down. I know the reason you're always sleeping is because you're up all night working on the numbers. You need to sleep, Lance. And you need to talk to me. Please?" Lance swallowed and nodded. "Josh, I will, I promise, but...not now? Please? It was so hard telling Chris, and I need to work myself up--" "You could tell Chris and not me?" JC asked, sounding hurt. Lance shook his head. "No, not at all," Lance said. "He needed to hear it then. You don't...You don't need to hear it as much as he did." "Fine," JC said with a frown. Lance looked down. "You're mad at me," he commented. "No," JC said, shaking his head. "Just the situation. I just want this all to be over.” "We all do, Josh," Lance said. "We all do." *** "A court day's been set for the day before Thanksgiving," Nikolas said, hopping up on the counter. Lance looked up from the table. "Oh?" "The 23rd, I think? Or is it the 24th? Whatever. It's a Wednesday," Nikolas said. Justin dropped his spoon. "What? Joey's jaw dropped. "That's like, three weeks away." "Good observation, Joseph." Joey ignored him and swallowed. "Can we...can we do this? Really?" he asked. "Of course we can," JC said firmly. His voice started to waver as he spoke. "Three weeks away. We can handle that, no problem. Three weeks to get ready. We have time." His voice cracked and he winced. "Anyone else thirsty? Wow, my throat is dry." He stood up. "Sit down, Joshua," Nikolas said mildly. JC shut his mouth and sat down. "Sorry," he said meekly. Nikolas cleared his throat. "Now we need to figure out when you guys should talk and when you have to keep your mouths shut." "Mouth shut?" Chris sputtered indignantly. "We don't need you to tell us when to--" "Shut up, Chris," Lance said. Chris sat down in a huff. * "Hey, Josh," Lance called. "You goin' out?" "Yeah," JC said. He sheepishly held up about 6 empty coffee containers. "I'm gonna go buy some filters or something. Much less expensive." Lance laughed out loud. "Buy me some candy or something," he said. "What kind?" Lance shrugged. "I don't care. Skittles or something, I suppose." "Mmm, you're gonna share, right?" "No." "Aww, come on," JC whined. "Buy your own damn Skittles," Lance said, folding his arms over his chest. "No way! In case you haven't noticed, we're being sued for an obscene amount of money. I can't spare the money to go buy two bags of Skittles," JC said matter-of-factly. "Fifty cents, Josh," Lance said idly. "Fifty cents." "Fifty-FIVE. With TAX," JC huffed. "Uh oh." JC glared at him. "You share or you don't get any." "Good Lord, Josh! It's a bag of Skittles! Buy however many you want," Lance said, shaking his head. "Well I didn't want to share with you anyway," JC said, trying to prevent a smile from creeping up on his face. "You're baiting me," Lance said mildly. "I'm not falling for it..." "That's cause you suck." "I'm sure I do. Would you like me to reimburse you for the cost of my own Skittles?" "Naw," JC said. "I'm sure I can cover it. Maybe." "Good, cause I want M&M's too." "Hey now, that's pushing it. You enjoy 20th Century food too much." *** "No one else wants any food, do they? Lance is already cheating me out of a buck fifty with all his candy." "Hey, I can't help it if I never got any," Lance defended. "Candy's yummy." "Pixie Stix." "NO," JC said. "You are NOT getting Pixie Stix, Chris." "Just ONE? PLEASE?" "Fine," JC grumbled. "One of those big-ass ones, you know, the ones that are like, tubes of it? Those. Blue, if they've got it." "No, you're getting a small one," JC said. "Aww, come on, Dad," Chris whined. "I'll be good. Get me two and I'll save one for later!" "Fine. I'm leaving now," JC said. "Dammit, all I wanted were some coffee filters. Lookit what you did, Lance." "Seeya later, Josh," Lance said. Whistles and catcalls broke out as Lance and JC kissed in the doorway. They broke apart, blushing. JC laughed and stepped outside. "Bye Lance." Lance turned and walked to the other guys, who were smiling innocently at him. "Don't say anything," he warned. "Not a peep." "Peep." "Peep." "Peep, peep." Lance groaned, covering his face with his hands. "I hate you all," he muttered.