Part 1

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Part 1

~Catch me if I fall, I'm losing hold...~

It had started a couple of weeks before. JC noticed it first. Of course he would. The two of them spent the most time together. It had started off minor. Lance would forget things. Where his keys were, where he parked his car, small things like that. JC would kid his lover that he was getting old. Lance was, after all, rapidly approaching his twenty-third birthday. Lance would smile, blush, and shrug off his forgetfulness. JC ignored it as well. It got worse though, and the other guys started to notice, as Lance began forgetting more important things. Meetings, photo shoots, interviews. He was the one who kept the rest of the group together in that department, so it was very noticeable. But, it also was dismissed as being minor. They had just released an album, and were preparing for a tour. That, coupled with the pressures of promoting the new album, was just taking it's toll. Lance was obviously a bit stressed. Maybe it was everyone else's turn to be responsible for a change.

Then they started to learn the new choreography for the tour. Lance just wasn't picking it up. It was worse than usual. He would do the steps, but they would not stay in his head. He noticed the looks he was getting. Concern from JC, confusion from the other guys, irritation from the choreographer. He tried to ignore them and dance, but he was starting to feel lightheaded. Suddenly he felt and intense, sharp pain in his head. He had to stop in mid-step and sit down, holding his head. The other guys quickly noticed, falling out of step one by one. JC was the first, kneeling down beside his lover, concern filling his blue eyes.

"Lance!" their choreographer Tony shouted. "For God's sake, can you wake up here? Where is your head today? I mean, I know you're not a good dancer, but come on!"

Lance didn't speak, didn't move. Didn't even react.

"Jesus, Lance we have a schedule here!"

"Hey, Tony, back off," JC said, his voice angry.

"JC..."

"I said back off!" JC's voice now held a hint of warning. "Lance," he said, his voice now gentle. "You OK, buddy?" When Lance still did not respond, JC slipped an arm around him, and dropped his voice a bit. "Lance, baby? What's the matter?"

Lance finally looked up, looked around as if a bit stunned. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. "Yeah, I just...I was a little dizzy." He tried to make his way to his feet, but his knees began to shake, as if they would not hold him. JC saw and grabbed him, quickly leading him to the couch. The guys gathered around them.

"Easy, Lance," JC said. "Someone get him some water." Joey hurried to do so. "Just rest for a bit, ok?"

"I... I'm fine. Thanks Joey," Lance said, taking the offered cup from his friend.

"Fine?" JC asked, incredulously. "You're fine, Lance?"

"Yes, Josh. I was just a little dizzy. And my head hurts some. But I'm ok now."

"Maybe we should stop for the day," Justin said, looking skeptically at his friend. The other guys made sounds of agreement.

"No. Guys come on," Lance said. "Tony's right. We're on a schedule here. The tour starts in three weeks, and we have to be ready."

"But Lance, man if you're sick..." Chris started to say only to be interrupted by a suddenly angry Lance.

"I'm not sick, Chris. I'm fine! God, I'm not a little kid; I know when I'm sick and when I'm not. Let's just do this, ok?" He abruptly stood, pushing away from JC, and ignoring offers of help from his startled bandmates. "Tony, we're ready." Lance moved back into position, followed, reluctantly, by the others.

"Ok then," Tony said, "let's see if we can make up for some lost time." The music started again, and the guys began to go through the steps. Each of the guys snuck worried looks at Lance. JC especially, watched his lover closely. He looked better, and there were no further incidents during the rehearsal. But there was a strange feeling of dread. They all felt it. And now, it seemed a little harder to dismiss.


	Inner Reflection \| home back to But Faith Part 1 ~Catch me if I fall, I'm losing hold...~ It had started a couple of weeks before. JC noticed it first. Of course he would. The two of them spent the most time together. It had started off minor. Lance would forget things. Where his keys were, where he parked his car, small things like that. JC would kid his lover that he was getting old. Lance was, after all, rapidly approaching his twenty-third birthday. Lance would smile, blush, and shrug off his forgetfulness. JC ignored it as well. It got worse though, and the other guys started to notice, as Lance began forgetting more important things. Meetings, photo shoots, interviews. He was the one who kept the rest of the group together in that department, so it was very noticeable. But, it also was dismissed as being minor. They had just released an album, and were preparing for a tour. That, coupled with the pressures of promoting the new album, was just taking it's toll. Lance was obviously a bit stressed. Maybe it was everyone else's turn to be responsible for a change. Then they started to learn the new choreography for the tour. Lance just wasn't picking it up. It was worse than usual. He would do the steps, but they would not stay in his head. He noticed the looks he was getting. Concern from JC, confusion from the other guys, irritation from the choreographer. He tried to ignore them and dance, but he was starting to feel lightheaded. Suddenly he felt and intense, sharp pain in his head. He had to stop in mid-step and sit down, holding his head. The other guys quickly noticed, falling out of step one by one. JC was the first, kneeling down beside his lover, concern filling his blue eyes. "Lance!" their choreographer Tony shouted. "For God's sake, can you wake up here? Where is your head today? I mean, I know you're not a good dancer, but come on!" Lance didn't speak, didn't move. Didn't even react. "Jesus, Lance we have a schedule here!" "Hey, Tony, back off," JC said, his voice angry. "JC..." "I said back off!" JC's voice now held a hint of warning. "Lance," he said, his voice now gentle. "You OK, buddy?" When Lance still did not respond, JC slipped an arm around him, and dropped his voice a bit. "Lance, baby? What's the matter?" Lance finally looked up, looked around as if a bit stunned. He shook his head slightly, trying to clear it. "Yeah, I just...I was a little dizzy." He tried to make his way to his feet, but his knees began to shake, as if they would not hold him. JC saw and grabbed him, quickly leading him to the couch. The guys gathered around them. "Easy, Lance," JC said. "Someone get him some water." Joey hurried to do so. "Just rest for a bit, ok?" "I... I'm fine. Thanks Joey," Lance said, taking the offered cup from his friend. "Fine?" JC asked, incredulously. "You're fine, Lance?" "Yes, Josh. I was just a little dizzy. And my head hurts some. But I'm ok now." "Maybe we should stop for the day," Justin said, looking skeptically at his friend. The other guys made sounds of agreement. "No. Guys come on," Lance said. "Tony's right. We're on a schedule here. The tour starts in three weeks, and we have to be ready." "But Lance, man if you're sick..." Chris started to say only to be interrupted by a suddenly angry Lance. "I'm not sick, Chris. I'm fine! God, I'm not a little kid; I know when I'm sick and when I'm not. Let's just do this, ok?" He abruptly stood, pushing away from JC, and ignoring offers of help from his startled bandmates. "Tony, we're ready." Lance moved back into position, followed, reluctantly, by the others. "Ok then," Tony said, "let's see if we can make up for some lost time." The music started again, and the guys began to go through the steps. Each of the guys snuck worried looks at Lance. JC especially, watched his lover closely. He looked better, and there were no further incidents during the rehearsal. But there was a strange feeling of dread. They all felt it. And now, it seemed a little harder to dismiss.