Chapter 1

“Let's take `em up in the air.” Tom shouted from the booth at the back of the arena. The crew ran around, helping the group into their harnesses and taking towels and water bottles from them.

“Let's get this show on the road already. We only have about thirty minutes to get back to the hotel before the press conference.” Johnny yelled, trying to hurry the final test of the routine along before they fell behind schedule.

“Ok, start the opening number.” Tom called and the music started and the group began their routine. “Whoa, hold it guys. Let's start that over.” Tom called to the group, who groaned in response.

“Man, can we get this over with. I really don't want to be up here.” Chris whined, reminding everyone subtly that he was not happy being suspended thirty feet above the audience's seats.

“Chill out, Chris. This is still so cool.” Joey said, doing flips and such in his harness.

“Leave, him alone. He can't help it he's scared.” Lance teased, giving Joey a little push.

“Hey man, you messed up my rotation. What kind of mess is that?” Joey said, pushing Lance back. This immediately started a sort of high wire chicken fight, between Lance and Joey.

“Guys, come on. We really need to get this over with.” JC scolded the two `brothers' as they fought.

“Man get your hands off of me!” Lance playfully shouted at Joey. Lance jerked up when he suddenly lowered a few inches. He looked up at the rigging, Joey still gripping his shoulders. He saw the safety rope had given way. “Shit!” Lance yelled. “Guys I got a problem up here.” Lance called to the rest of the auditorium, his voice shaky.

“The safety wire just brok….Oh SHIT!” Lance yelled as a second cable snapped. Lance tightened his grip on Joey's shirt. Joey instinctively grabbed Lance's harness with one hand, while holding onto his own cables with the other.

“Get him down! NOW!” Tom shouted his order to the engineer next to him in the booth. Everyone else in the auditorium stood still, their attention on the stranded band member.

“The controls won't move. They're stuck. I can't get him down!” the engineer told Tom.

“Joey, man, don't let go of him. We are having a slight problem in here.” Tom called to Joey.

“You're having a slight problem in there?! Damn it, I'm having a hell of a problem out here.” Lance yelled back. The rest of the group was already back on the floor, looking up at their distressed band-mate. Everyone was a little shocked at Lance's language, but couldn't blame him for it. They knew he had to be scared out of his wits.

“Joey, you ok up there? Lance, just hang on. They'll have you down in a minute.” Chris called up trying to calm his friend.

“I'm fine, Chris, but I don't think…” Joey stopped his sentence. His already rapid heart beat sped up double when he looked up to the rigging that was holding Lance off of the floor. The one cable standing between Lance and the arena floor was beginning to give under his weight.

“Oh GOD! JOEY!” Lance yelled, when the final cable snapped. Joey grabbed onto Lance with both hands, stopping his decent, but at the same time, inverting himself in his harness. Joey looked down at his friend. Lance's eyes were as big as saucers and his skin was very much paler than it had been.

“Jesus Christ, Joe, I'm begging you don't let go.” Lance's voice came out in a whisper, the fear that gripped his chest making it difficult for him to talk very loud.

“Tom, do something! Get him down before Joey's rig buckles!” Justin yelled to the technician.

“Lance, buddy hang on.” JC said, not necessarily to Lance, but as a silent prayer to God. The three friends stood on the stage, helpless to do anything for their band-mate, each terrified for him.

“Lance, hang on man.” Joey said, his voiced strained with the effort to hold onto his friend.

“I'm not. I won't let go.” Joey assured him, his face determined. His heart raced, his blood pounding in his temples from fear and exertion. His heart nearly stopped when he felt his hold on Lance's hands slipping. “Do something damn it! I can't hold him for much longer!” Joey yelled angrily to the crew around them.

“We're trying, but the controls on that side of the board are fried, we can't move them.” Tom cried out, near panic. Crewmembers ran around crazy, trying to find a way to lower the two men from the rafters.

“Justin Chris, aren't there cranks up there to lower and raise the rigs manually?” JC asked, hope in his eyes.

“I think so. We need to get somebody up there to do it!” Chris yelled, starting for the stairs that would lead him up to the catwalk.

“Joey, Lance, we have an idea. Just hold on a little longer.” JC called up to the two group members.

“Man, don't let go. Please, God, somebody hurry up.” Joey said, his voice filled with emotion, knowing that he was responsible for one of his best friends' life.

“Joey, we're going to lower you down manually. Just don't give up and please don't let go.” Chris called to him as him and three other crewmembers worked on turning the large crank that would manually lower the rig.

Joey and Lance jerked when the rig began to lower them down to the ground. Thirty, twenty-five, twenty feet from the ground.

“Guys, can't you go any faster. I'm losing my grip.” Joey informed the others, while trying to get a better hold on his friend.

“We're trying.” Chris called back. A sudden jerk of the rigging caused Lance's hand to slip from Joey's.

“Lance!” Joey yelled, fear gripping his heart. Lance let out a yell as he fell the remaining fifteen feet to the stage floor. Landing with a loud thud to the floor, Lance didn't move.

“Oh my God! Lance!” JC and Justin yelled running over to their fallen friend. Crew ran towards them as well as other members of the groups' entourage. Chris quickly came down from the rafters, running to where Lance lay on the stage. As soon as Joey was safely on the floor, he joined the group gathered around his friend.

“Lance? Lance, come on man, wake up.” Justin said, lightly shaking him, trying to stir him to consciousness. Everyone breathed a momentary sigh of relief when they heard a muffled grunt from Lance's body and saw him move his head from one side to the other before opening his eyes. His green eyes lightly glazed, he looked around the group of people gathered around him. Slowly he regained the breath that had been knocked out of him in the fall.

“Don't let him move. I'm calling an ambulance just in case.” Johnny said, quickly leaving the group to place the call.

“I…I think so.” Lance said, trying to sit up, but was instantly pushed back down by JC who was also sitting next to him on the floor.

“Don't move. Johnny's calling an ambulance to come and get you and take you to the hospital to get checked out.” He explained to his blonde friend.

“I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine. Just got the wind knocked outta me.” Lance argued, trying again to sit up, grunting at the pain that the simple movement caused.

“Just sit still.” Chris ordered. Finding it painful to move, Lance decided to obey and just lay there as they waited for the ambulance to arrive.

“Lance, I am so sorry. I tried to hold on, but I couldn't.” Joey said, his voice choked with emotion.

“Don't worry about it, Joe. It could have been worse. I'm fine really, just sore.” Lance joked, his head groggy and aching from the fall to the hard stage floor.

“You did great Joey. We're all really proud of you.” JC said, resting a comforting hand on Joey's shoulder.

“Guys, ambulance is here. Move out of the way to let them work.” Johnny said, ushering everyone out of the way of the ambulance crew.

A few hours and one hospital visit later, Lance and the rest of the group and their entourage had returned to the hotel where they had been staying. Johnny had canceled the next four shows to allow Lance time to recuperate and get back to normal. Time that Lance felt very grateful for despite his means of getting the time off.

Woozy from the pain killers that the doctors had given him, the fall itself and the exhaustion that set in because of it all, Lance leaned against Justin and JC as Chris and Joey led the way to their suite. Opening the door for them, Chris stepped in first to make sure that the way was clear for Lance to be half carried to his room that, like the others, adjoined the main room of the suite.

“Come on, Man. You have got to help us out a little here. We can't CARRY you to your room, and no offense, but I am not getting you ready for bed and tucking you in.” Justin joked as they made their way through the suite and to Lance's room.

“Guys, did you know you're the best. I mean, who else would have done this for me, besides my family. I guess you guys are my family though aren't you?” Lance said, the medicine that affected his head, making him laugh at his little revelation.

“Ok, buddy. I really think you need to go to sleep.” JC said, laughing a little at his friend's drunken like state. After dumping him in the bed, removing his jacket and shoes, JC and Chris maneuvered him so that he was under the blankets. He was almost instantly asleep.

Quietly, the group of people walked back out of the room and into the main room. Plopping down on the couch, Chris shed his own jacket and shoes, letting out a sigh as he did so. JC mimicked him from his spot in the armchair to Chris's right, while Joey and Justin stretched out on the floor.

“I haven't seen Lance that scared since…. I don't know when I have seen Lance that scared before.” Justin said, glancing at the others in the room.

“I don't remember when I have been that scared. You should have seen him up there. His eyes were the size of saucers and his skin was so pale he could have really been an albino.” Joey commented, his tone showing that he wasn't joking.

“I want to know what happened up there. I mean, with you and him playing around, I can understand, maybe, one cable snapping. Two is a possibility, but three. All of them couldn't have been that worn. I mean isn't it just a little weird?” Chris said, looking around the group, his comical mood having been wiped out since the incident.

“I don't know. Right now, I am way too tired to think.” JC said, rubbing his hand over his face.

“Well, at least now you know why I don't particularly like the whole flying thing.” Chris said, standing up and walking into his room, closing the door behind him.

“Well, let's get some sleep. At least now we get to sleep in. I could use it after today.” Joey said, quietly getting up and walking to his room.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to Help is on the Way Chapter 1 “Let's take `em up in the air.” Tom shouted from the booth at the back of the arena. The crew ran around, helping the group into their harnesses and taking towels and water bottles from them. “Let's get this show on the road already. We only have about thirty minutes to get back to the hotel before the press conference.” Johnny yelled, trying to hurry the final test of the routine along before they fell behind schedule. “Ok, start the opening number.” Tom called and the music started and the group began their routine. “Whoa, hold it guys. Let's start that over.” Tom called to the group, who groaned in response. “Man, can we get this over with. I really don't want to be up here.” Chris whined, reminding everyone subtly that he was not happy being suspended thirty feet above the audience's seats. “Chill out, Chris. This is still so cool.” Joey said, doing flips and such in his harness. “Leave, him alone. He can't help it he's scared.” Lance teased, giving Joey a little push. “Hey man, you messed up my rotation. What kind of mess is that?” Joey said, pushing Lance back. This immediately started a sort of high wire chicken fight, between Lance and Joey. “Guys, come on. We really need to get this over with.” JC scolded the two `brothers' as they fought. “Man get your hands off of me!” Lance playfully shouted at Joey. Lance jerked up when he suddenly lowered a few inches. He looked up at the rigging, Joey still gripping his shoulders. He saw the safety rope had given way. “Shit!” Lance yelled. “Guys I got a problem up here.” Lance called to the rest of the auditorium, his voice shaky. “What is it?” Tom called to him, distractedly. “The safety wire just brok….Oh SHIT!” Lance yelled as a second cable snapped. Lance tightened his grip on Joey's shirt. Joey instinctively grabbed Lance's harness with one hand, while holding onto his own cables with the other. “Get him down! NOW!” Tom shouted his order to the engineer next to him in the booth. Everyone else in the auditorium stood still, their attention on the stranded band member. “The controls won't move. They're stuck. I can't get him down!” the engineer told Tom. “Joey, man, don't let go of him. We are having a slight problem in here.” Tom called to Joey. “You're having a slight problem in there?! Damn it, I'm having a hell of a problem out here.” Lance yelled back. The rest of the group was already back on the floor, looking up at their distressed band-mate. Everyone was a little shocked at Lance's language, but couldn't blame him for it. They knew he had to be scared out of his wits. “Joey, you ok up there? Lance, just hang on. They'll have you down in a minute.” Chris called up trying to calm his friend. “I'm fine, Chris, but I don't think…” Joey stopped his sentence. His already rapid heart beat sped up double when he looked up to the rigging that was holding Lance off of the floor. The one cable standing between Lance and the arena floor was beginning to give under his weight. “Oh GOD! JOEY!” Lance yelled, when the final cable snapped. Joey grabbed onto Lance with both hands, stopping his decent, but at the same time, inverting himself in his harness. Joey looked down at his friend. Lance's eyes were as big as saucers and his skin was very much paler than it had been. “Jesus Christ, Joe, I'm begging you don't let go.” Lance's voice came out in a whisper, the fear that gripped his chest making it difficult for him to talk very loud. “Tom, do something! Get him down before Joey's rig buckles!” Justin yelled to the technician. “Lance, buddy hang on.” JC said, not necessarily to Lance, but as a silent prayer to God. The three friends stood on the stage, helpless to do anything for their band-mate, each terrified for him. “Lance, hang on man.” Joey said, his voiced strained with the effort to hold onto his friend. “Joe, please don't let go.” Lance pleaded, his fear bringing him near to tears. “I'm not. I won't let go.” Joey assured him, his face determined. His heart raced, his blood pounding in his temples from fear and exertion. His heart nearly stopped when he felt his hold on Lance's hands slipping. “Do something damn it! I can't hold him for much longer!” Joey yelled angrily to the crew around them. “We're trying, but the controls on that side of the board are fried, we can't move them.” Tom cried out, near panic. Crewmembers ran around crazy, trying to find a way to lower the two men from the rafters. “Justin Chris, aren't there cranks up there to lower and raise the rigs manually?” JC asked, hope in his eyes. “I think so. We need to get somebody up there to do it!” Chris yelled, starting for the stairs that would lead him up to the catwalk. “Joey, Lance, we have an idea. Just hold on a little longer.” JC called up to the two group members. “Joe, I'm slipping.” Lance told Joey, his voice eerily calm. “Man, don't let go. Please, God, somebody hurry up.” Joey said, his voice filled with emotion, knowing that he was responsible for one of his best friends' life. “Joey, we're going to lower you down manually. Just don't give up and please don't let go.” Chris called to him as him and three other crewmembers worked on turning the large crank that would manually lower the rig. Joey and Lance jerked when the rig began to lower them down to the ground. Thirty, twenty-five, twenty feet from the ground. “Guys, can't you go any faster. I'm losing my grip.” Joey informed the others, while trying to get a better hold on his friend. “We're trying.” Chris called back. A sudden jerk of the rigging caused Lance's hand to slip from Joey's. “Lance!” Joey yelled, fear gripping his heart. Lance let out a yell as he fell the remaining fifteen feet to the stage floor. Landing with a loud thud to the floor, Lance didn't move. “Oh my God! Lance!” JC and Justin yelled running over to their fallen friend. Crew ran towards them as well as other members of the groups' entourage. Chris quickly came down from the rafters, running to where Lance lay on the stage. As soon as Joey was safely on the floor, he joined the group gathered around his friend. “Lance? Lance, come on man, wake up.” Justin said, lightly shaking him, trying to stir him to consciousness. Everyone breathed a momentary sigh of relief when they heard a muffled grunt from Lance's body and saw him move his head from one side to the other before opening his eyes. His green eyes lightly glazed, he looked around the group of people gathered around him. Slowly he regained the breath that had been knocked out of him in the fall. “Don't let him move. I'm calling an ambulance just in case.” Johnny said, quickly leaving the group to place the call. “Are you ok, Man?” Joey asked, kneeling down beside Lance. “I…I think so.” Lance said, trying to sit up, but was instantly pushed back down by JC who was also sitting next to him on the floor. “Don't move. Johnny's calling an ambulance to come and get you and take you to the hospital to get checked out.” He explained to his blonde friend. “I don't need to go to the hospital. I'm fine. Just got the wind knocked outta me.” Lance argued, trying again to sit up, grunting at the pain that the simple movement caused. “Just sit still.” Chris ordered. Finding it painful to move, Lance decided to obey and just lay there as they waited for the ambulance to arrive. “Lance, I am so sorry. I tried to hold on, but I couldn't.” Joey said, his voice choked with emotion. “Don't worry about it, Joe. It could have been worse. I'm fine really, just sore.” Lance joked, his head groggy and aching from the fall to the hard stage floor. “You did great Joey. We're all really proud of you.” JC said, resting a comforting hand on Joey's shoulder. “Guys, ambulance is here. Move out of the way to let them work.” Johnny said, ushering everyone out of the way of the ambulance crew. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A few hours and one hospital visit later, Lance and the rest of the group and their entourage had returned to the hotel where they had been staying. Johnny had canceled the next four shows to allow Lance time to recuperate and get back to normal. Time that Lance felt very grateful for despite his means of getting the time off. Woozy from the pain killers that the doctors had given him, the fall itself and the exhaustion that set in because of it all, Lance leaned against Justin and JC as Chris and Joey led the way to their suite. Opening the door for them, Chris stepped in first to make sure that the way was clear for Lance to be half carried to his room that, like the others, adjoined the main room of the suite. “Come on, Man. You have got to help us out a little here. We can't CARRY you to your room, and no offense, but I am not getting you ready for bed and tucking you in.” Justin joked as they made their way through the suite and to Lance's room. “Guys, did you know you're the best. I mean, who else would have done this for me, besides my family. I guess you guys are my family though aren't you?” Lance said, the medicine that affected his head, making him laugh at his little revelation. “Ok, buddy. I really think you need to go to sleep.” JC said, laughing a little at his friend's drunken like state. After dumping him in the bed, removing his jacket and shoes, JC and Chris maneuvered him so that he was under the blankets. He was almost instantly asleep. Quietly, the group of people walked back out of the room and into the main room. Plopping down on the couch, Chris shed his own jacket and shoes, letting out a sigh as he did so. JC mimicked him from his spot in the armchair to Chris's right, while Joey and Justin stretched out on the floor. “I haven't seen Lance that scared since…. I don't know when I have seen Lance that scared before.” Justin said, glancing at the others in the room. “I don't remember when I have been that scared. You should have seen him up there. His eyes were the size of saucers and his skin was so pale he could have really been an albino.” Joey commented, his tone showing that he wasn't joking. “I want to know what happened up there. I mean, with you and him playing around, I can understand, maybe, one cable snapping. Two is a possibility, but three. All of them couldn't have been that worn. I mean isn't it just a little weird?” Chris said, looking around the group, his comical mood having been wiped out since the incident. “I don't know. Right now, I am way too tired to think.” JC said, rubbing his hand over his face. “Well, at least now you know why I don't particularly like the whole flying thing.” Chris said, standing up and walking into his room, closing the door behind him. “Well, let's get some sleep. At least now we get to sleep in. I could use it after today.” Joey said, quietly getting up and walking to his room. ~*~