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OVER THE HILLOneThree Months After the End of Lehigh Hill “It’s not my fault, honey!” Justin whined.“She’ll just breeze in here and take control of everything!” Joey snapped.“I thought you liked my mom.”“I LOVE your mom. It’s not that.”Chris, Nick and JC watched the men argue, their heads swinging back and forth as if they were watching Wimbledon. “Then what is it?” Justin asked. “The ceremony is in two months. She wants to come visit.”“She’ll try to boss us around and make it go her way, and you’ll let her. She has you under her little finger.” Joey stormed to the bedroom and slammed the door.“You know this is all because he’s nervous as hell, right?” Chris asked Justin. “He’s afraid this ceremony is gonna ruin what you have.”“It’s just a private little thing,” Justin mumbled. “And my mom has sworn up and down not to do anything that we don’t want. She’s offered to help…even to pay for renting the ballroom.”JC smiled, remembering the ballroom in question. It was where he and Lance had finally admitted they loved each other, right in front of half the reporters on the east coast. “He’s nervous,” he agreed. “He’ll come out in a second, apologize, and kiss up to you big time.”“Right,” Justin sighed, falling into a chair. “So…have you heard from Lance lately?”“Not really,” JC said, frowning. “He’s been in Europe, premiering the movie over there left and right. He calls a lot, and he did fly in overnight, you know, but otherwise…”“He’s busy,” Nick said. “You know he’s crazy about you, Jayce.”“Yeah,” JC said vaguely, but it was odd. He and Lance talked when they could, but except for a few brief hours the night of the Lehigh Hill premiere, they hadn’t really seen each other. Lance had flown in for a visit overnight, but he was so exhausted that they hardly had time to talk before he fell asleep. He had planned on taking a small vacation before starting to even think about the next film, but JC wondered if that would really happen. He had met with Lance’s friend Martin, the screenwriter, and they had done a lot of work on Lance’s new script, but that was the extent of his current contact with Lance.They heard the bedroom door open and Joey soon sheepishly reappeared in the living room. “I’m sorry, babe,” he said shyly. “I’m just so worried.”“It’s okay.” Justin held out his arms and Joey flew into them as the others grinned. “You have a really great day,” JC said to the customer, trying to smile. The gallery’s business had doubled after it became known that its owner was dating Lance Bass, and Brian’s girlfriend had quit her job at the coffeehouse to come help out.“You okay, Jayce?” Brian asked.“Yeah…you two go get lunch,” JC said.“We could just get takeout and bring it back,” LeighAnne suggested.“Nah…take a break. I’ll see you in an hour or so,” JC said, waving his hand in the air.“Thanks,” Brian said, giving him a grateful smile. They darted out of the gallery before he could change his mind.The bell merrily tinkled, and he looked up from his work with a sigh. “Can I…” JC’s mouth fell open.“Help me? You bet,” Lance said, turning the “open” sign to “closed.” “I think you’re done for the day.”“I think you’re right,” JC said breathlessly, still unable to move. “Holy hell.”“Wanna come around here and kiss me, or do I have to hop the counter?” Lance asked with a devilish smile. JC flew around the counter and into Lance’s arms.“What are you doing here?” JC asked when they finally came up for air.“I’m officially on vacation.”“But you’re in Europe,” JC said, shaking his head.“Uh, no, I’m here,” Lance said, smiling.“And Kevin?”“I’m not really into threesomes, Josh,” Lance teased. JC glared at him. “Kevin is back home in Kentucky. I am totally free and without assistance for the next month.”“A whole month?” JC said, delighted. Lance nodded.“And…if you don’t mind, I made some plans that include you.”“Me?” JC squeaked, feeling like a thirteen-year-old girl.“Yes, you.” Lance blushed slightly. “It’s…uh…well…I rented us a house.”“Cool! Where? Here in town?”“Uh, no…in France.”JC blinked. “As in the country?”“Yes, as in the country,” Lance said with a grin.“You’re kidding.”“No.”JC felt waves of happiness crash through him. “I hadn’t heard from you…and I thought…”“Every time I talked to you I was dying to tell you, so I didn’t talk to you,” Lance said. “I’m sorry.”“It’s okay!” JC hugged him again.
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OVER THE HILLTwo “Well, hell, look what the cat dragged in,” Chris said with a grin when he walked into his living room and saw Lance on the sofa. “How’re they hangin’, Bass?”“Chris.” Lance reached up over his head to give Chris a high five. He had forgiven Chris for leaking his whereabouts months before, because he knew Chris hadn’t meant it in any kind of malicious way. He loved the way Chris hung on Nick’s every word, and enjoyed hearing about Chris’ latest declarations of love. “When’s the wedding?”“J and J first, not me,” Chris protested. He flopped onto a chair. “Where’s your artistic half?”“Up in the shower, he says. I think he’s probably cleaning his bedroom.”“That place is a freakin’ monastery to begin with,” Chris said, shaking his head. “So…to what do we owe this surprise visit?”“I’m whisking Josh away for a vacation to France,” Lance said, frowning slightly. “He said he’s excited…is he?”“Duh,” Chris said, and Lance beamed.“I mean, I don’t really know him all that well yet. It’s crazy. I love him so much, but I hardly know the guy.”“A month in a country where you don’t know the language should remedy that,” Chris said.Lance blushed slightly. “Actually…I’m quite fluent in French.”“Really?” Chris said, laughing. “Another talent.”“I’m not all that talented,” Lance said modestly.“Anyway…how long will you be gone?”“A month. I have the house starting on Monday…I hoped Josh could just pretty much drop everything and come with me.”“He can. I’ll look after things here, and Brian pretty much runs the shop, anyway,” Chris said. “He’ll panic, he’ll call home a lot, but he’ll be able to go with you.”“Good.” Lance leaned back and closed his eyes.“You WILL be able to be contacted, though, right?” Chris asked. Lance’s eyes flew open. “I mean…this whole wedding thing with Justin and Joey…Justin will need to call JC every five minutes to freak out.”“The wedding? When?” Chris quoted a date. “Aw, shit. Is it that time already? Time flies.” Lance rubbed at his forehead, suddenly exhausted. “We’ll definitely be where Justin or anyone can call, okay? As long as you’re not giving out our number to every person you see,” Lance teased. Chris had the decency to blush.“I don’t hear water running. Why don’t you go up and shower. I need to clarify some stuff with JC if he’s gonna be incognito for a month.”“I think I will.” Lance grabbed his bag and headed up the steps. “This doesn’t look like showering,” Chris said from JC’s doorway. JC jumped.“Well…I needed to straighten up a bit.” JC looked around the immaculate bedroom.“Whatever.” Chris rolled his eyes. “Listen…I put a call in to Dmitri’s. They’ll deliver your dinner at seven. I’m gonna crash at Nick’s tonight.”“Chris…”Chris waved a hand. “He’s your boyfriend who you haven’t seen in ages. You want to be here alone. You don’t want to be at a restaurant, or slaving over a stove for dinner. Just chill with him. Get to know him.”“Thanks, Chris,” JC said, touched.“In real life, though, I’ll be across the street. One hand on the telephoto lens, the other on the cellphone, calling the National Enquirer,” Chris said with a grin. JC threw a shoe at him.
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OVER THE HILLThree JC was sitting on the bed when Lance got out of the shower. He gulped as he looked at Lance, who was wearing only a towel. “Hey.”“God, you scared me!” Lance gasped, then grinned. “Hey, yourself.”“Chris kicked himself out of the house,” JC said. “And he ordered us dinner.”“Wow. He IS trying to redeem himself,” Lance said with a grin. “Guess I don’t need to get dressed again, then.”“Well, uh, no,” JC said, watching the muscles of Lance’s back ripple as he bent down to dig through his bag.Lance turned around and smiled at him. His eyes never left JC’s face as the towel dropped. “Dinner’s probably cold,” JC mumbled against Lance’s chest.“Mmmhmm…” Lance rumbled, his fingers tracing lazy circles up and down JC’s back.“Did you really rent us a house in France?” JC asked. Lance’s hand stopped moving.“Yes. Is it okay? I mean, I can cancel and we can go somewhere else. Or we can stay right here. I just wanted to spend time with you.”“Like where else?” JC asked, propping himself up on one hand.“Oh…Madrid. Or London, if you REALLY wanted. Or Italy, though I’m not that fond of it.” Lance wrinkled his nose. “Where would you like to go?”“I’m fine with France…I just wanted to see what else you’d say,” JC said with a grin.“Brat.” Lance tickled JC briefly, then released him. “I just want to spend some time with you, JC. I feel like we kinda skipped over the ‘get to know you’ part.”“I didn’t. I know you. I see you on the big screen all the time,” JC teased.“Oh, yes, and that’s the REAL me up there,” Lance said sarcastically.“Tell me three faults,” JC said.Lance thought for a moment. “I let my characters take over my real life sometimes. I hate folding laundry. I tend to get kinda spoiled.”“And those are such AWFUL faults,” JC said, rolling his eyes. He slowly sat up and grabbed his jeans off the floor. “You’re practically perfect.”“You ARE perfect,” Lance said, watching JC get dressed. JC blushed.“I’m gonna get dinner together.” He left the bedroom. When JC came out of the kitchen to see what Lance was up to, he found him on the sofa, laughing at a cartoon on the Disney Channel. “You watch the Disney Channel?” JC asked, putting silverware and napkins on the coffee table.“I love the Disney Channel. I was asked to guest star on Lizzie McGuire, but I couldn’t fit it into my schedule,” Lance said, sighing. “I’d love to do a voice on a cartoon, though.”“It would have to be a porn cartoon, though, with that voice,” JC said. Lance blushed.“Whatever. So…wanna go shopping tomorrow, for the trip?”JC returned to the kitchen and came back with a tray of food and two bottles of beer. “For what?”“Whatever…condoms, lube, sex toys…” Lance listed, watching JC turn red. Lance laughed. “Nah…I have all that in my suitcase.” JC turned even redder. “Seriously…I didn’t know if you wanted some new clothes or something.”“You know you don’t have to buy me, right?” JC said softly. Lance frowned.“I wasn’t trying to. I just…I thought maybe we’d go into the city one night and have a nice dinner. I didn’t know if you had anything really dressy. Plus I like to buy you things. Is that such a big deal?”“No. I’m sorry.” JC sighed and flopped down next to Lance on the sofa. “It’s just weird. I mean, selling those paintings to the hotel got me a nice little bundle in the bank, yet it’s nothing compared to what you have.”“I don’t have hundred dollar bills flying out of my pockets, Josh. Most of my money is in the bank, in the stock market, or tied up in real estate.”“How many houses do you own?” JC asked. Lance thought for a moment.“Um…beach houses in California and Florida, an apartment in New York, a house in Mississippi…condo in Rio…” Lance counted off on his fingers. “That’s it.”“That’s IT?” JC gasped. “I’d love to OWN a house or a condo or something,” he said wistfully.“Well, there’s always Christmas,” Lance said cheerfully.“You’d do that, wouldn’t you?” JC asked.“I’d love to spoil you rotten at Christmas. And I totally plan on doing it, too,” Lance said. He pulled JC back to snuggle against him. “Enough money talk. Let’s eat our dinner and enjoy our time together, okay?”“Okay,” JC sighed. “You need these,” Lance said, holding up the leather pants.“Ohhhh, no, I don’t.” JC took them from Lance and shoved them back onto the rack. “I thought we were here to dress me up.”“But I’d have a lot of fun undressing you,” Lance said quietly, to make JC blush.“Mr. Bass…can I have your autograph?” The salesclerk asked politely.“Of course.” Lance gave her a kind smile and signed the paper she gave him. “We’ll take those suits over there…that sweater…and the coat.”“Yes, sir.” The clerk went to ring everything up.“This is too much,” JC said, looking at the piles of clothing.“You’re worth every penny,” Lance promised him. He slyly looked at the people who were watching them. “You do realize, of course, that everyone in town will now think that you’re my mister.”“Your mister?”“You know, like mistress…they’ll think I’m paying for your apartment, buying you everything…”“Chris would love that,” JC said, laughing. “I like being your mister.”“You’re not, you know,” Lance said. “The money doesn’t count.”“The money doesn’t count,” JC repeated, though he didn’t really believe it.
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OVER THE HILLFour “Have a really good time, okay?” Justin said, hugging JC tight. “Forget about everything back here.”“You sure you don’t need me?” JC asked anxiously. “I know you’re freaking out right now…”“No, YOU’RE freaking out,” Justin said, smiling. “I’ll be okay, Jayce.”“Have a good time,” Joey said, shaking Lance’s hand. “Take care of him.”“I will.”“If you meet anyone famous, give them my number,” Chris said to Lance. Lance laughed.“I definitely will,” he promised. He turned to JC. “We should go to the lounge. They’ll be boarding us soon.”“Okay,” JC said, taking a deep breath. He sent a look of desperation in Justin’s direction. Justin hugged him again.“Relax. Get to know him. Let him pamper you, okay?”JC nodded. “Bye.”He followed Lance to the private lounge where they were going to wait for their flight. Lance was always one of the last people to board, so he wouldn’t cause a scene. “You okay?” Lance asked JC.“Yeah,” JC said with a sigh. Then he smiled. He didn’t want Lance to think he wasn’t excited. “I’ve never flown first class before.”“Me either,” Lance teased, then laughed. “It’s not all that, really.”“That’s what you think,” JC said.“All the fuss helps me keep my mind off of flying,” Lance said. “I hate flying.”“Really?” JC asked, surprised. “I haven’t flown all that much, but I kinda like it. It’s exciting.”“Well, I’m sure you can distract me,” Lance said with a devilish look in his green eyes. “Do you want a drink or anything while we wait?”“No, I’m fine.” JC checked his backpack to make sure he had his sketchbook and pencils. It would be a long flight.“When are you gonna paint me?” Lance asked. JC looked at him. “I just thought you might want to, I don’t know.” Lance blushed slightly. “I’ve had a million pictures taken of me, but never a portrait painted.”“I…I’m not very good at portraits,” JC stammered. “But if you want me to, I’ll try.”“Only if you want to,” Lance said, shrugging, but JC could tell it was something he wanted.“Mr. Bass, if you’re ready to board,” a stewardess said. Lance nodded and stood.“Ready?” Lance said to JC. JC nodded as well, butterflies fluttering against the walls of his stomach. An hour later, when he was seated by the window and Lance was dozing off against his shoulder, JC finally took the time to assess his situation. It was like a dream come true. He was going to one of the most romantic and artistic places in the world, with one of the most beautiful and amazing men in the world, and it was still totally surreal. He was seated in first class with a glass of expensive red wine in front of him, and all he could do was close his eyes and pinch himself.“You okay?” Lance mumbled.“Fine,” JC said, patting Lance’s knee. “You sleep.” He shifted so he could free his hand slightly and began to draw. “We’re staying about an hour outside the city,” Lance said as they stood and stretched and began to collect their belongings. “Would you like to stay overnight in the city, or just go out to the house tonight.”“I’d rather get settled there, I think,” JC said, yawning. He had finally fallen asleep for the last half of the flight. “I can’t believe we’re really here!”It was the first bit of excitement JC had shown, and Lance was relieved. He was beginning to think that JC was only going along with this trip to please him. He decided to say something about it when they got off the plane.“Monsieur Bass?” A steward said. Lance nodded, and the steward spoke in a rapid stream of French. Lance nodded and motioned for JC to sit back down.“He said that if want to wait for everyone else to get off the plane, we can go to a special section of Customs. I’m fairly well-known here, but not as well-known as in America, so it shouldn’t be TOO bad. But at any rate, they decided to offer us the courtesy,” Lance explained.“Oh, okay.” JC sat back down and looked out the window.“Josh, can I ask you something?”“Sure.”“Did you really want to come along with me?” Lance asked. “I mean…you haven’t seemed too thrilled with it all.”“Oh, I’m loving it!” JC promised. “I just…I didn’t want you to see me as some kind of hick, all excited about a trip to France.”“Don’t hold yourself back from me, Josh, please,” Lance begged. “I need at least one person in my life who’s going to be honest and sincere, okay?”“Okay. I’m sorry.”“Don’t apologize.” Lance leaned forward and gave JC a quick kiss before the steward came to get them.
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OVER THE HILLFive “You’re amazing,” JC said as they settled onto the backseat of the car. Lance nodded to the driver, who began to pull out into the traffic of the airport. “You…you sound like you were born here!”Lance laughed and pulled JC to snuggle against him. “Hardly. Wait until you hear a native person speaking French. I definitely sound like some second-year high school student.”“I DID hear a native speaker, and you sounded just fine. He obviously understood you enough to get us through Customs pretty damn quick!” JC picked at a fold of his jeans as they stretched across his knee. “Yet another talent.”“I enjoyed learning languages. It was about all I was good at in school, except maybe math. I was good at the math stuff.” Lance chuckled. “You know, many people who enjoy math and science aren’t really into the arts. I was one of those rare exceptions.”“I never liked math.” JC wrinkled his nose. “I lived for art class. And history.”“Well, there is a ton of art and history here in France, and I promise NO math.”The hour seemed to fly by. JC couldn’t keep from staring at the beautiful countryside they were driving through. Finally, though, the driver pulled the car up through a set of iron gates and down a long driveway. The car stopped and JC got out and stretched. “So…are we in the guesthouse or something?” He looked up at the huge stone building in front of them. “A castle guesthouse…it doesn’t get more romantic than that!”“How about a castle? Is that romantic?” Lance came up behind JC and put his arms around his waist. JC whirled around to stare at him.“What? We’re staying HERE?”“Sure. It’s not really a castle. More like a…manor, or something.” Lance smiled. “Is that okay?”“You said a house,” JC retorted.“This WAS someone’s house.”“No, a house is like…a house. Like with a picket fence and a yard and a dog or something.” JC looked around. “I don’t see a fence OR a dog.”“I’m sure we could find you a fence AND a dog, if it means that much to you,” Lance teased. “C’mon, let’s go in.”JC followed Lance to the front door of the building. It was opened before they could even grasp the knocker. “Monsieur Bass, Monsieur Chasez. We’ve been expecting you,” a man said in lightly accented English. “I’m Henri, the butler.”“Hello, Henri,” Lance said. JC could only nod.“If you’ll follow me, Gentlemen.” Henri stepped aside so they could enter. “Your bags will be attended to.” He started up a staircase. “You will have the east and middle wings to do with as you please. The staff and kitchens occupy the west wing.” Henri opened a set of double doors. “And here is your suite.”JC and Lance stared at the beautiful blue and cream set of rooms. There was a large bedroom as well as a sitting room and private bath. “Wow,” JC whispered.“The house itself is old, but it has been fitted with all the modern amenities,” Henri explained. “Is it to your satisfaction?”“This is even better than what the real estate agent told me,” Lance replied. “Are you happy with it, Josh?”“Amazing,” JC could only say, and Lance smiled.“Thank you, Henri.”“Would you like dinner served in the main dining room, Monsieur?” Henri asked.“No…I think all we’ll need is a light dinner…perhaps here in the suite?” Lance asked. Henri nodded.“I believe the cook was preparing to make some sandwiches for the staff…I’ll have her tray some up for you, as well as some soup and beverages.” Henri bowed slightly and left the suite, closing the doors behind him.Lance turned to JC, a broad grin crossing his face. “This is surreal. Even I didn’t imagine something like this.”“I feel like I’m in a history book.” JC threw himself onto the chaise lounge. “It’s like a dream!”“I think it will be like a dream,” Lance said softly. JC blushed and slowly sat up. “A whole month in our own castle. We’re lords of our manor, and we can do whatever we want.” Lance came to sit next to JC. “And money is no expense, Josh. Whatever you want, you tell me. What’s mine is yours.”JC kissed him, pulling him down to lay next to him. Lance’s hands were beginning to wander up to unbutton JC’s shirt when there was a knock on the door. JC groaned and pushed back slightly. “Dinner?”“Probably our bags,” Lance said. “I made sure that the real estate agent knew about us, Josh…that we’re a couple. I didn’t want to freak out the staff. I have a feeling we can be ourselves here.”JC got up and went to answer the door. A good-looking young man stood in the hallway with their suitcases. He said something in French, and JC just stared at him. “Uh…”“He said it’s our bags, and where did we want them,” Lance said, bouncing up off the lounge. He rattled something off in French. The man blushed as he recognized Lance, stammered a thank you, and lugged the bags towards the bedroom. The young man made a second trip from the hall, bowed slightly, and darted out of the suite. “Now…where were we?” Lance asked, leaning against the closed door and pulling JC against him.“Our dinner will be here soon,” JC said.“But there’s so many things we can do between now and then,” Lance said, grinning as he tugged at the buttons of JC’s shirt.
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OVER THE HILLSix JC lay awake long after Lance had fallen asleep. He was a bit screwed up, with the time difference and all, but he still felt as if he were asleep and dreaming. He was lying in a huge bed, in a French manor home, with one of the most sought-after men in the world asleep in his arms. They had made love, ate their light dinner, sat by the fire for hours, and then made love again. Real life would be scary as hell after all this. Finally JC worried himself to sleep, thinking about what life would be like after Lance left him for his career. “Morning, Sunshine,” a low voice murmured in JC’s ear.“Chris…gonna kill you,” JC muttered, swatting at the voice.“You and Chris sleep together?” The voice said unhappily. JC’s eyes flew open and he turned around. Lance was sitting cross-legged on the bed next to him, a large binder on his lap.“God, Lance! No! He just is always in my bed…I mean…in the mornings, he wakens me…oh, fuck it,” JC said simply, and Lance grinned.“You’re adorable. I understand what you mean.”JC yawned and stretched. “How long have you been up?”“About an hour. I laid there and watched you sleep for a bit, then I decided to start to study this script. It rules, Josh.”JC blushed slightly. “I only gave ideas. Martin did all the writing.”“I know Marty’s writing. This isn’t all Martin. I sense some Chasez in here…especially the parts where the assistant is pining away for the artist.” Lance closed the binder and tossed it to the floor. “I went down and told Henri we’d ring when we were ready for breakfast. They actually have bells by the door that ring down to the butler!” Lance’s eyes were wide. “This place is amazing.”“I feel like Joe Millionaire or something,” JC said. Lance stared at him blankly. “You do know what I’m talking about, right?”“I heard of the show,” Lance admitted. “Met Evan at some party once…he was kinda stupid.”JC smiled. “Well, he’s just some low-class hick, you know, and they set him up in this huge French castle. He doesn’t know what fork to use with what course, or which color wine to have with which meal. That’s how I feel.”“You use whatever fork you want…and whatever wine you want,” Lance told him. He lay back down and pressed his body against JC’s. Lance was wearing pajama bottoms, but JC could feel his erection pressing against him.“What if I want to run that wine down your spine and lap it up?” JC murmured. Lance let out a groan that JC felt down to his toes.“I’d let you. You could buy wine that cost a hundred dollars a bottle, and I’d let you waste it that way,” Lance sighed.“Licking wine off of you would never be a waste,” JC told him. Lance pulled back and studied him, then smiled.“You know, I’ve heard that kinda stuff from a hundred people, guys AND girls, and this is the first time I’ve believed it.”“You’ve talked Naked Wine Tasting with a hundred girls and guys?” JC asked with a straight face. Lance shoved him, then got up.“I’m gonna ring for breakfast. Do you want to eat up here?”“Nah…let’s actually show our faces downstairs, before they think we’re nothing but horny kids,” JC said. Henri was waiting for them at the bottom of the staircase when they finally made their way downstairs. “Good morning, Monsieurs,” he said politely. “Breakfast is served in the breakfast room.”“The breakfast room?” JC mouthed to Lance, who raised his eyebrows.“We took the liberty of preparing a bit of everything,” Henri told them over his shoulder. “Please let me know what you’d prefer for your breakfast menu, and we’ll have that ready for you every morning.” He opened the door to a large sunny room that was basically a sun porch.“Whoa,” JC said before he could stop himself, staring at the breakfast table. There was eggs and bacon, sausage and ham, fresh fruit, bagels, croissants, and other sweet pastries. Pitchers of apple and orange juice sat in the middle of the table by a vase of fresh wildflowers, and steaming pots were at either end.“There is coffee and tea in the pitchers.” Henri pulled out a chair and JC all but fell into it.“I think whatever you come up with for breakfast will be fine from now on, right, Josh?” Lance said, sitting in the other chair. JC nodded. “Though I think you could probably cut the amount of food in half, Henri. I hate to waste all this.”“As you wish, Monsieur.” Henri flipped a napkin into Lance’s lap, then JC’s. “Also, Monsieur…about lunch. It’s supposed to be a gorgeous day today. I could have lunch ready around one, or, if you’d like, I’ll have the cook pack you a picnic luncheon. The land around this house is quite beautiful, and at one end of the estate is a pretty field by a creek. I could have the lunch waiting there for you if you’d like to take a walk?”“That sounds wonderful,” Lance said, noticing the eager light in JC’s eyes. Henri nodded and turned to JC.“I noticed some painting supplies in with your luggage. You’re an artist?”“Yes, Henri,” JC said almost shyly. Henri nodded again.“The area I mentioned…by the stream…it’s perfect for landscapes, I would think.” He gave a short bow and closed the door behind him.“Would you mind pinching me?” JC murmured, staring at the bowl of fruit. “I think I’ve died and gone to heaven.”“No…heaven is these chocolate cream éclairs,” Lance mumbled with his mouth full. “Pure heaven.”“I thought you only liked French toast for breakfast,” JC teased, pouring himself a cup of tea. Lance froze in mid-bite and JC laughed. “I’ve done some reading up on you, boyfriend. Apparently you like French toast, butter pecan ice cream, and men who do drugs and party all the time.”Lance choked on his food and had to take a long drink of juice before he could reply. “Okay, yes to the first two, but the last one wasn’t my fault. How did I know?”JC laughed, finally comfortable with talking about AJ. “Chris told me it was obvious.”“Well, I wasn’t around him much,” Lance said defensively, and JC only laughed harder. “Henri wasn’t kidding,” JC said, putting down his sketchbook. “This place is gorgeous.”“Look…there’s our lunch,” Lance said, walking over to a large basket. “Looks yummy.”“You’re yummy,” JC said suddenly, and Lance turned to look at him. With the sunlight shimmering off of Lance’s short blond hair, he looked like an angel. “I can’t…this is all a dream,” JC said softly. “I love you so much, Lance, and I hardly even know you. I just KNOW this is all gonna fall apart, and I can hardly bear it.”“Stop it,” Lance said. “I thought you said you could get past the whole celebrity thing. That’s why I brought us here…so we could get to know each other away from everything.”“It’s not just that, Lance,” JC said. “I have had maybe one serious relationship in my life…and that was Justin. Nothing ever works out for me like this. Nothing that matters.”“We’re gonna work out, Josh.” Lance took JC in his arms and kissed him. “We’ll make it work.”
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OVER THE HILLSeven The first week and a half flew by in a dream for both JC and Lance. They spent their days either taking long walks or just cozying on a sofa…or in bed. They got to know each other, exactly as Lance had hoped they would. JC found it easier and easier to forget that Lance was a multi-millionaire whose face was recognized by people around the world. To him, Lance Bass was simply the man who he was falling deeper and deeper in love with.Lance found himself relaxing in a way he hadn’t allowed himself to do in ages. Even with AJ, he had felt the need to keep a front up. He couldn’t be himself. With JC, he could do whatever he wanted and not be afraid that JC would judge him for it. At three in the morning one evening, he opened up about something that he had never told anyone.“I feel like it’s my fault that Will died,” he said, drawing lazy lines up and down JC’s leg. JC was sitting up in bed, sketching Lance in the light of the fire. The flames threw interesting shadows across Lance’s handsome face, and he wanted to get it on paper.JC put down his pencil. “What do you mean?”“We had been at a party…and we were both drinking. No big deal. It was before I was really famous or anything, you know…so I didn’t care much what I did. Then the coke came out. I was ready to leave…and he wasn’t.” JC said nothing, just allowed Lance to talk. “We fought a bit, but he promised he wouldn’t do much. He said he just wanted to try it, and I didn’t see a problem with that.” Lance smiled wryly. “Ironic, huh…that I end up with a cokehead as a boyfriend?”“AJ is NOT anything like Will,” JC said, though he knew nothing about AJ and even less about Will.“No, that’s true,” Lance admitted. “Anyway, I ended up leaving the party with a friend. I assumed Will would just crash there. He didn’t. He tried the coke, got high, and got behind the wheel of his car.”“Lance, that’s not your fault.” JC threw his sketchbook to the floor and moved to lay next to Lance. “He was an adult.”“I shouldn’t have left,” Lance muttered, staring into the fire.“Is that why you’ve adopted Justin as a little brother?” JC asked, and Lance smiled.“He’s so much like him, Josh. The way he talks, the way he looks…it about stopped my heart the first time I saw him.”“I’m supposed to be the only heartstopper in your life,” JC said, poking Lance’s bare chest. Lance smiled bigger and kissed the top of JC’s head.“You are. I promise.” Lance was nowhere to be seen when JC got out of the shower a few days later. JC dried off, got dressed, and headed down to the breakfast room. Lance was at the table, reading over a newspaper.“I swear, you just do that to impress me. You probably don’t understand a word it says,” JC teased. He kissed the top of Lance’s head as he walked by.“Yes, I do. It says that France has found its new artist, and that it’s not letting him go,” Lance said, folding the paper and placing it next to his plate. “It says that if he ever wants to paint again, he has to stay in France forever…and that the government will pay a famous actor millions to guard him.”“Sounds good to me,” JC said. He poured himself a glass of apple juice before sitting down. “Hey, what’s this?” JC picked up the small book that was on his plate. “It’s in English.”“Last time I checked, that WAS your native language. Or would you like to read this?” Lance waved the paper in the air.JC popped him the finger and flipped through the book. “A Paris tour book?” He looked at Lance questioningly.“I thought we could go up for the weekend,” Lance said casually. JC shrugged.“If you want.”“There’s a special Cassatt exhibit at the Louvre, if you’re interested,” Lance said, mimicking JC’s shrug.“What?” JC slapped the book down on the table.“There’s a benefit for the museum Saturday night…I got us tickets. Check out page thirty-four of the book,” Lance said without looking up from his eggs. JC flipped through the book.“And if you enjoy good American art, check out the traveling Cassatt exhibit that will be arriving…sophisticated dinner benefit…” JC’s mouth fell open. “Lance, you did NOT pay that much for a meal!”“No, I didn’t.” Lance put down his fork. “I paid that much for the chance to wander through the exhibit in private. I paid that much to see the look on your face that I see now.”“Thank you,” JC whispered.“You’re welcome.” Lance went back to his eggs, but couldn’t hide the smile on his face.
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OVER THE HILLEight “This doesn’t seem your usual kinda hotel,” JC observed as they were led into a tiny suite. “Not the usual amenities.”“Well, I figured we could say the hell with amenities, when I realized what the view was like.” Lance tipped the bellman, closed the door, and went to the window. He drew the curtains aside and motioned for JC to come over.“Oh,” JC said breathlessly, looking down at the road below. They seemed to be within a stone’s throw of the river, and artists were set up all along its banks. “What amenities?”Lance laughed and kissed behind JC’s ear, snuggling up behind him. “It’s okay, then?”JC turned around and threw his arms around Lance. “This is still such a dream,” he whispered.“I hate to say it, but I need to wake up a bit from the dream and contact Kevin,” Lance said with a sigh. “It makes him happy when I check in, and I like to make him happy now and then.”“Do…do you think I could call Justin and Brian?” JC asked. Lance checked his watch.“It’s like six in the morning there,” Lance said.“They’ll be up,” JC said, eager to talk to his best friend, as well as to Brian, who was watching the gallery.“Sure. Directions for an international line are on the desk by the phone,” Lance said. “In English. I’m gonna unpack a bit.” He went into the bedroom, and JC sat down by the phone. He called Brian first.“Hello?” He answered breathlessly. JC was amazed by the fact that the connection was quite clear. It was something to realize you were talking to someone across an entire ocean.“Bri? JC.”“Hey! I didn’t expect to hear from you!” Brian said in surprise. “How’s your vacation?”“Great. Having a great time,” JC said.“Before you ask…the gallery is fine. We haven’t been robbed, and the place hasn’t burned down. And only ten autograph seekers have come around since you’re gone,” Brian said, laughing. JC rolled his eyes. He had become a minor celebrity since his relationship with Lance had begun. They chatted for a bit, then JC got off the phone. He dialed the phone again, and steeled himself for the squawk he knew he’d hear on the other end.“It is SO damn early,” Joey growled as he answered. He skipped “hello” altogether.“Bonjour,” JC said in what he hoped was an authentic French accent.“Hello,” Joey said in surprise. “Hey, baby, it’s Jayce.”“Jayce? Is he okay? What did Lance do?” JC heard Justin yell in the background. Joey laughed and handed over the phone. “Jayce?”“Hi, Justin. Everything’s fine. We’re in Paris for the weekend and I thought I’d check in. How are plans for the wedding?”“Fine,” Justin said. “Everything’s going well. How about you?”“Fantastic,” JC said with a happy sigh. “We’re here for this fancy charity dinner for the Louvre. They have a great Cassatt exhibit, and we get a private viewing of the paintings!”“Sounds great,” Justin said with a smile. “And you and Lance?”“He’s amazing,” JC sighed happily. “He really is.”“I’m glad, Jayce,” Justin said sincerely. “Though I’m missing you like hell right now. I need you to keep me from freaking out with all this wedding stuff.”“It all comes down to the fact that you love him and he loves you,” JC said. “Remember that. It’s the root of everything.”“I know, you’re right,” Justin said with a sigh. “Take care, okay?”“I will, and we’ll be home before you know it,” JC promised.“Justin?” Lance asked when JC hung up. He nodded. “I could tell by what you said. Needing some reassurance?”“He’s all afraid, but he knows damn well that he and Joey are the best things in each other’s lives,” JC said.“Am I the best thing in your life?” Lance asked, and JC pretended to think about it for a moment.“Nah…just your money,” he decided. Lance tackled him and pushed him onto the sofa. JC wriggled as Lance tickled him. “Okay, okay, it’s YOU I want!”“Thought so.” Lance leaned back and smiled at him.“Do you think maybe I could go down to the street? With my supplies?” JC asked eagerly, sounding like a little boy.“I don’t think I could refuse you anything,” Lance said, touching JC’s face lightly. “Yeah, go on down there. I know you’re dying to. And then I can call Kevin.”JC kissed Lance’s nose and eagerly went to unpack his art supplies.
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OVER THE HILLNine “I’m so sorry,” JC said breathlessly as he ran in the door. Pencil scattered in his wake. “The light was so good…”“Don’t worry about it,” Lance told him, kissing his cheek. “What’d you get?”JC bashfully opened his notebook and flipped through it. “Here.”Lance looked at the rough sketches of a couple on a bench. Two men, one blond and one brunette, shared a newspaper. “Wow. Amazing how they look just like us.”“They did!” JC insisted, then laughed. “Well, maybe not THAT much. But it was obvious that they were a couple.“So…what should we do for dinner?” Lance asked. “There’s an awesome four-star restaurant on the corner.”“If that’s what you want.”“Or,” Lance said, watching JC carefully, “we could go over a few blocks. There’s an avenue full of cafes where street musicians wander up and down.”JC’s face lit up. “That’s perfect.”Lance took JC’s hands in his, kissing them. He rubbed his thumbs over the smudges from JC’s pencil. “Just make sure to take a shower, okay?” Lance looked at JC, who was tapping his fingers on his knees. His dessert was practically untouched, because the street musicians continually distracted him. Lance was glad that he had remembered to grab a handful of cash for tips. The more excited JC became, the more Lance tipped that particular performer. “This is the best time I’ve had in ages,” Lance said finally.“Really?” JC turned to look at him. “Why?”“I’m just…different with you, Josh. It’s like I can be myself. No pretending.”“I finally feel that way, too,” JC admitted. “It was hard to get past the whole celebrity thing in the beginning, but now…”“I bet,” Lance said almost sadly. JC reached over to take Lance’s hand.“That’s not an issue. Not here, not now,” JC said, and it was true. No one had even approached Lance for an autograph.Lance squeezed JC’s hand and looked into his eyes. “Ready to get outta here?” JC barely made it into the suite before Lance was pressing him against the door. “Damn,” JC said, his knees weak.Lance’s hands cupped JC’s face as he kissed him. “No one’s ever made me feel the way you do.”“I know,” JC gasped as Lance’s teeth found his neck.Lance growled and hooked his finger through JC’s belt loop. He tugged JC towards the bedroom. “Want you,” he mumbled.JC forgot the fact that Lance was an award-winning celebrity. He could only concentrate on the feeling of Lance’s teeth against his skin. Lance was being unusually rough, and JC loved it. He was just as fierce, pulling at Lance’s shirt and pants.When they were naked, Lance shoved JC onto the bed face first. JC groaned into the pillow as Lance licked down his spine. He gasped and arched his back as Lance licked down further. Lance reached around to stroke JC, and JC shakily got up on his hands and knees. Lance moaned, his tongue flicking in and out.Lance moved away suddenly, and JC unconsciously whimpered. He felt a familiar coolness and then Lance’s fingers slid inside. JC hissed and arched up again. “You want this, don’t you, baby?” Lance whispered. He leaned across JC’s back to talk into his ear. “You want me?”“Yes,” JC pleaded. “NEED you.”The fingers began to move harder and faster. JC began to rock against them. “That’s right,” Lance said approvingly.“Fuck me,” JC begged. Lance groaned again and reached for the condom and lubricant.Lance fisted his hands in JC’s hair as he slid inside. He didn’t even have to move. JC immediately began to bounce back and forth. “Ah…yeah…fuck my cock…” Lance hissed.“So…good…” JC panted, slamming back.“Fuck!” Lance exclaimed, grasping JC’s hips to pull him back with more force. JC used one hand to jerk himself. Lance pushed that hand away and bent over him. “Cum for me, baby.” He pumped JC firmly. JC began to shudder. “Fucking cum, Josh.”JC grunted and came. Lance finally allowed himself to let go as he came as well. JC collapsed to the bed and Lance slowly rolled to the side. JC let out some sort of gurgling sound, then rolled to bury his face in the pillow.“Josh? I…I…didn’t hurt you, did I?” Lance asked, tentatively stroking JC’s back. JC shook his head in the negative. “I just…wanted you…loved you…wanted every inch of you to be mine.”JC rolled to look at Lance. “I am yours. Every inch. And you didn’t hurt me.” Lance smiled with relief. “Of course, you MAY have to take me to that charity dinner in a wheelchair…”Lance reached over to yank at JC’s hair, then pulled him in for a tender kiss.
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OVER THE HILLTen “Well…how do I clean up?” Lance asked, coming out of the bedroom. JC looked up from the television and did a double-take.“Damn,” he said weakly. He had seen pictures in magazines of Lance in a tuxedo at various functions, but seeing him in the flesh took his breath away. He quickly recovered. “I mean, you’d look good, if you didn’t have Lobster Face.”“Kevin would kill me,” Lance moaned, going back to the bathroom and checking himself out in the mirror. “It’s all your fault. I allowed you to let me lay around by the river without sunscreen.”“You were sleeping, and I didn’t know the French word for sunscreen,” JC retorted.“You’re a bad liar,” Lance called from the bathroom.JC got up and turned off the television. He smoothed down his own tuxedo jacket and nervously waited for Lance. “Ready?”“Relax,” Lance murmured, coming over to kiss JC. “What’s wrong?”“This is some fancy charity thing. Normally I GET charity, not go give it.”“I’M giving the charity,” Lance reminded him. “YOU’RE there to be my arm candy.”“Oh, yeah,” JC said, as if he suddenly remembered this fact. He knew Lance was kidding. “Amazing,” JC whispered, taking a sip of the excellent wine as he stood in front of a painting. Lance was off talking to someone, and JC had been in heaven, strolling from painting to painting.“You’re an artist?” A heavily accented voice said from behind him. JC turned around.“I paint, but I’m not artist,” JC said modestly. “How could you tell?” He immediately looked down to see if there was paint on his socks or shoes.“You have the look,” the man said. “Your face…total reverence.”“True,” JC admitted.“You are American?” The man asked. JC nodded. “Michael.” The man held out his hand and JC shook it. “Actually, Jean-Michel, but I like the American form better.”“JC Chasez. Actually, Joshua, but I prefer JC.” JC turned back to the painting. “Cassatt is one of my favorites.”“Mine, too.”They stood in silence for a moment, then JC said. “You’re an artist?”“Very amateur, I’m afraid,” the man said with a sigh. “I’m in business for myself and don’t have much time for my hobbies.”“I’m lucky. Art IS my job,” JC said. “I run a gallery back in the States.”“Really? Something I’d have heard of?” Michael asked.JC hid a smile. “Doubtful. Quite small.”“Josh.” JC turned to smile at Lance. “You’re wearing a hole in the floor here. I’ve been keeping my eye on you, and you’ve been in front of this painting for way too long. The other paintings are getting jealous.” JC felt a light hand on the small of his back.“Lance, this is Michael,” JC said.Michael shook Lance’s hand. “Lance Bass. I’ve seen your movies. It’s an honor.”“My pleasure,” Lance said, though he was barely polite.One of the benefit’s organizers walked over and spoke to Michael. He sighed. “You must excuse me. Duty calls. Joshua, it was a pleasure.” He shook JC’s hand again and smiled into his eyes.Lance sent smoldering looks at his back as he walked away. “Thinks just because he owns half the country of France he can move in on MY man?”JC laughed. “Half of France? He’s in business for himself, Lance, that’s all.”“Didn’t you recognize his name, Josh?” Lance asked. He repeated the man’s last name, which the organizer had spoken as she approached. JC’s mouth fell open.“THAT was him?”“Yes, babe. And he was hitting on you.”“He was not,” JC said, blushing. Lance smiled.“I love when you get embarrassed. That tasty place behind your ear gets all pink.”“Stop it,” JC muttered, rubbing the back of his neck self-consciously as they moved on to another painting. “So…what do you want to do now?” Lance asked as they climbed into the back of the limo.“I’m not tired, though my feet hurt a bit from all that standing,” JC said.“Well, I was thinking we could go out to a club,” Lance suggested, pulling off his tie. “But if you’re too tired.”“A club? Interesting…that’d be fun,” JC said. He couldn’t imagine Lance in a club.“I DO dance, Josh,” Lance said, amused. “I dance like a white boy, but I dance. And it’s a gay club.”“Really?” JC tried to imagine Lance in a gay club, and it was even harder than imagining him in a club in general.Lance laughed. “You’re adorable.” He reached over to run his fingers through JC’s hair. They went home, showered, changed clothes, and were out the door in an hour. Instead of calling for the limousine again, Lance hailed a cab and they arrived at the club shortly after. Lance paid their cover and someone hurried over to him. The man rattled off rapid French, and Lance laughed, shaking his hand.“This is the manager,” Lance told JC. “He wants to know if I wish to be put in the VIP section.”JC looked around. No one seemed to care that Lance was even in the building. “Do you?”“Well, there’s like a semi-VIP section. It has its own dance floor and is less crowded.” Lance had to yell over the music.“That’d be great,” JC replied, and Lance led the way to the second floor. The room was still crowded, but not AS crowded, just like Lance had said.“Can I get you a drink?” Lance asked.“Let me,” JC said, grinning. “Since you’re so poor and all.”“I know.” Lance pretended to turn out empty pockets. “Just get me a beer of some kind. I’ll be over there. I see some people I know.” He waved a hand in the general direction of a table and JC nodded.JC stood in line at the small bar, his body shifting in time with the music. “Can I buy you a drink?” An American voice said in his ear.“Thank you, but no, I…” JC froze as he turned to look at the speaker. AJ McLean grinned.“I saw you come in with Lance, right?” AJ said. He wore a dress shirt whose sleeves had been cut off at the shoulders, and a pair of baggy black pants.“Yes, I did,” JC said, trying not to act too nervous. AJ obviously didn’t remember him from the night in the hotel when AJ had surprised Lance in his suite.“I’m AJ.”“I know,” JC said without offering his own name.“Lance’s flavor of the month, right?” AJ touched JC’s shoulder and JC leaned back slightly. AJ flashed his demonic smile.“I’d say YOU hold that title,” JC retorted. A space opened by the bar and JC moved into the hole. He pointed to the tap and held up two fingers.“You’re his rebound man, you know that, right? I was his first.”“First what? Mistake?” JC asked. He hated himself for getting angry, but AJ was his nightmare in human form. AJ chuckled.“See you later, baby.” AJ drifted back into the crowd and JC gripped onto the edge of the bar to try and calm down. Thankfully it was almost ten minutes before the bartender handed him two frothy glasses.He paid for the beers and turned to weave back through the dancing mass of people. He headed for where Lance had said he’d be, and froze. He saw Lance, who was standing with his back against the wall. AJ stood next to him, leaning against a hand that was on the wall above Lance’s head. He had his head dipped down so he could talk in Lance’s ear. Lance smiled, seemed to giggle a bit, and stared down at his feet. Lance looked up at JC, caught him staring, and the smile left his face. JC shoved the beers at the nearest person, turned, and fled.
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OVER THE HILLEleven JC blindly ran out of the club and out towards the street, hailing a taxi as soon as he saw one. He barely stuttered out the name of the hotel, grateful that he had asked Lance earlier what the name translated to. It was the only thing that kept the name straight in his mind.He had to get home. That was all there was to it. He needed to get away from Lance and AJ and this world that he knew nothing about. All of the things that Lance had said…JC shook his head. Telling JC that he was “different” around him, that he made Lance feel special and normal all at once. Getting all possessive of him at the museum. What a laugh Lance and AJ must’ve had behind JC’s back.JC managed to count out the right amount of money, thankful that he had exchanged his meager amount of cash for the native money when they had arrived in France. He skipped the elevator and ran up to their suite. He knew Lance wouldn’t be far behind him. He packed his art supplies and the small bag he had brought for the weekend. The rest of the things that were at the country house could be burned for all he cared. JC patiently listened to the phone ring, running his phone card through the scratches on the pay phone. “Hello?”“J?” JC leaned his head on the phone booth, willing back the tears. Now was NOT the time to act like a little girl.“Jayce? Hey, baby! What time is it there?”“Uh, late…two, maybe?” JC said vaguely. “I just wanted you to know I was catching a four-thirty flight.”“Did Lance have something come up back at home?” Justin wondered.“No…he’s, uh, he’s not coming.”“Jayce…”“Don’t ask me, okay, Justin? Just pick me up at the airport?” JC gave him the flight information. “I called the airline as soon as I got here. I’m at the airport now.”“Jayce, are you okay?”“No,” JC said finally, and hung up. Lance shoved AJ away. “Josh, wait!” He yelled, but the sound of his voice was smashed by the music.“Let him go,” AJ said, putting a hand on Lance’s shoulder.“You made him think…” Lance said angrily. “You’re a dick.”“You’re the one who was letting me whisper sweet nothings in your ear,” AJ reminded him.“As I stood here politely, waited for you to finish, and then planned on belting you in the gut and telling you to leave me the fuck alone,” Lance snapped. “I have to go find him.”“Suit yourself,” AJ called after him, grinning. Lance burst into the suite, calling JC’s name. But, of course, he wasn’t there. Either were his clothes or supplies. Lance went to the telephone and called the front desk, asking if Mr. Chasez had checked out. The desk clerk said he didn’t know who that was, and Lance realized that everything was in his name. Lance then asked for the hotel manager, who had spoken with both he and JC on various occasions.“No, Monsieur Bass, I do not know where Monsieur Chasez went,” the man said. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help. I did see him leaving the hotel with his bags, though.”“Thank you,” Lance sighed, hanging up. He thought for a moment, then went back out of the suite. JC munched on a croissant stuffed with cheese, but he tasted none of it. It was simply something to keep his stomach from growling. He knew he should find a corner to sleep in, but the idea of sleep was a joke. He also didn’t want Lance to come looking for him and actually find him sleeping somewhere. Lance WOULD come looking, and JC didn’t want to be found. He thanked his lucky stars that all of the ticket counters were closed, and that Lance couldn’t legally get information out of them, anyway.JC looked up at the ceiling as he heard his voice announced over the intercom. The message was in English, asking him to pick up a courtesy phone. JC shouldered his bags and headed for the closest corner to hide in.
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OVER THE HILLTwelve A pale and weary JC Chasez walked out of the tunnel and into the airport. Justin couldn’t be there to meet him at the gate, but JC knew he’d find him down at the luggage terminal.“Jayce.” JC felt long arms go around him and he inhaled the familiar smell of Justin’s shampoo. The load seemed to fall off of him as he allowed himself to be embraced. He shuddered as he felt himself on the brink of sobbing. “Don’t, babe. Not here. Let’s get out into a cab.” Justin led JC outside, shouldering the large duffel bag. He had not yet felt brave enough to go for his driver’s license, even though Joey had an car. Justin hailed a taxi and shoved JC into the backseat. Justin gave the driver the address to his apartment before turning to JC. “Do you want to talk now or wait until…”“Wait, please,” JC whispered. “I don’t care what Joey knows.” He knew that was why Justin had asked. He simply slid his thin fingers into Justin’s warm hand and let his head fall back against the seat.Justin paid the driver and half-pushed JC up the steps to the apartment. Though Joey was home, the door was locked. Justin unlocked it and JC went in ahead of him. “Just drop your stuff here,” Justin instructed, and JC let his bag of art supplies carefully fall to the floor.“Hey, C,” Joey said with a warm smile. “I made some apple dumplings…you want one?”JC’s stomach actually rumbled. Joey knew that his apple dumplings were one of JC’s favorite foods on the planet. “I, uh, could maybe eat one,” JC said finally.“Great. They’re just out of the oven,” Joey said, hurrying back into the kitchen. JC sat down at the table with Justin by his side. Joey poured milk over a hot dumpling, then brought the bowl to JC.JC took a bit, blowing on the spoon before sliding it into his mouth. “Perfect, as usual,” he said. Joey nodded in thanks.“So…do you want to stay here for a few days?” Jusitn asked. “The guest room is yours, you know that.”“I don’t know,” JC said. “I don’t want to impose.”Joey and Justin exchanged glances over JC’s head. “You know you’re welcome as long as you need to stay here,” Joey said gently. Justin rubbed JC’s back.“You know he’ll probably look for you here, right?” Justin said softly. JC nodded and looked down at the bowl. Suddenly the few bites he had taken threatened to come back up.“I have to…” JC shoved his chair back and ran for the bathroom.Joey sighed as they heard the bathroom door close. “This must’ve been something,” he said. Justin nodded unhappily.He waited about fifteen minutes, then went to knock on the bathroom door. “Jayce? There are clean towels in the closet by the window. Why don’t you take a long hot bath while I get the bedroom ready for you, okay?”“Thanks,” came the muffled reply. Justin went through JC’s duffel and pulled out sweats and a tshirt. He snuck into the bathroom and put them on the hook on the bathroom door. About an hour later, JC came out of the bathroom, looking clean but not any happier. Joey and Justin were on the living room sofa watching television.“Sorry,” JC said sheepishly. “I just suddenly felt sick.”“It’s okay,” Joey said. He stood. “Well, I have some phone calls to make. Glad to have you back, JC.” Joey disappeared into the bedroom.“Sit.” Justin turned off the TV and patted the sofa next to him. “Feel any better?”“A little,” JC said, playing with the afghan that hung over the back of the sofa. He looked up at Justin. “I don’t want to talk about it.”“Then don’t,” Justin said simply. He moved slightly and suddenly JC found himself enveloped in Justin’s warm embrace. The afghan was pulled over him, and he snuggled against Justin’s chest. Justin brought a hand up to wander through JC’s damp wavy hair, and they sat silently that way for almost an hour.“He’s back with AJ,” JC said suddenly from his warm cocoon.“Hmm?” Justin said almost absent-mindedly.“Lance. He’s with AJ. Probably has been all this time,” JC said. “We were at a club, I got drinks, and when I came back they were all cozy against a wall.”“Are you sure?”“AJ was whispering sweet nothings and Lance was practically giggling like a schoolgirl,” JC snapped.“Sorry. Of course you’re sure,” Justin said.“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to react like that,” JC said. He sighed. “I was just a damn fool, J. I shoulda known someone like him would never settle for someone like me.”“You’re not settling, Joshua Chasez. Not for anyone. If anything, HE was too low for YOU,” Justin said almost angrily. “Baby, he’s an asshole. I don’t want to believe it, because I really like Lance. But if you truly believe that he was playing you that way…then I can only believe it, too.”“Why are you like this?” JC said, the tears beginning to fall. “Why do you take care of me like this?”“Because I love you,” Justin said simply. “I always have. It’s different now…I mean, in a few weeks I’m marrying Joey, but I still love you. You looked after me all those years when I couldn’t see. I owe you.”“I love you, Justin,” JC said, crying on his friend’s chest.
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OVER THE HILLThirteen “That rat bastard!” Chris yelled, spitting Cheerios all over the living room sofa.“What did Larry King do now?” JC said, laughing as he came out of the kitchen. For some reason, Chris really couldn’t stand the CNN talk show host, and always yelled at the television.“Not him…though he WAS unnecessarily rude to Harrison Ford last night,” Chris said. “Just because he recently broke up with someone was NOT an excuse to give him the old Twenty Questions routine.” Chris got angry for a moment, then remembered what had caused the food volcano. “Look!” He pointed his spoon at the television and JC froze.“A tan and buff-looking Lance Bass returned to Los Angeles this weekend after a few weeks incognito. Rumors state that he was off in France, vacationing with a new friend, but he arrived stateside without said friend,” the entertainment reporter said. Lance’s smiling face flashed across the screen as he strode quickly through LAX to a waiting car. He did indeed look tan. JC thought he looked gorgeous, then kicked himself for thinking it. “Sources tell us he was also seen in Paris with his old flame, model AJ McLean. These same sources say Lance left Paris and headed for a private island in the Caribbean, owned by a friend in the oil business. Did AJ hit the beach with Lance?”“Turn it off,” JC said in a choked tone. For once, Chris obeyed.“He’s a dick, Jayce,” Chris said. “Really. I mean, he probably went there to commit suicide or something and couldn’t even get THAT right.”“Not funny, Chris,” JC said. He went back into the kitchen to wash dishes. Chris followed and hopped up to sit on the counter.“I had something I needed to talk to you about, but with all this wedding business, I haven’t had the chance,” Chris began. JC smiled weakly.“I know. It’s so great for Justin and Joey. I can’t believe they’re getting married on Sunday!”“Yeah. They deserve the best,” Chris said, uncharacteristically nervous. JC rinsed off a dish and turned to look at him.“What’s wrong?”“Nothing. It’s just. Never mind. It can wait.”“Christopher.”“I want…Nick…well…we’d like to move in together.”“Really?” JC’s face lit up. “Aw, man, that’s great. I can’t believe he’d put up with you twenty-four seven, but damn, man. Great.”“You’re okay with it?” Chris asked. “I wasn’t sure if it’d be okay.”“Chris, you’re a grown adult. You make your own decisions. Hell, I’ll love having the space.”“I know money is tight…”“I can manage. I managed before you moved in,” JC pointed out. “It’s great. Really.”“I just didn’t want you alone,” Chris said. He jumped down. “But if you’re okay…”“It’s fine.”Chris hugged JC. “I gotta call Nick.”He left JC to his dishes. JC looked down at the suds, suddenly feeling VERY alone. “And then they want you to report to Alabama to go to Space Camp,” Kevin said.“What?” Lance’s head shot up. Kevin grinned.“About time you pay attention to me. You haven’t heard a thing I’ve said.”“Sure I did. You said that I have to…uh…that I have responsibilities. And I have to be places.” Lance looked at him with polite interest.“That narrows it down.” Kevin closed his planner and tossed it onto Lance’s coffee table. “Want to tell me what’s wrong with you?”“It’s JC,” Lance said with a sigh. “I know he still believes AJ and I are together. And the damn media isn’t helping.”“Have you told him this?”“It’s kinda difficult when he won’t answer the phone. And today I tried his number and there was a recording that told me it was disconnected.”“Don’t you know his friend? The one that you helped out?” Kevin asked. Lance sighed.“Justin. Yeah, I know Justin. But if JC doesn’t want me to talk to him, I’m not going to use his friends.”“Can you TRY to focus for me, Lance?” Kevin asked.“I’ll try,” Lance said, though it was hard to concentrate when all he could hear was his heart breaking. “You know this is insane, right?” Joey asked Justin as Justin trailed his fingers up and down Joey’s bare back. “Stop! That tickles!” Joey shivered.“Yes…but maybe it’s what they need. I know it’s what WE need,” Justin said. “A dream come true.”“JC will kill you for interfering.”“Yes…but I can’t believe that Lance is this evil. And JC refuses to hear him out.”“It’s none of our business,” Joey pointed out.“JC’s happiness is my business,” Justin retorted. He was silenced by a kiss from Joey, and soon forgot all about JC and Lance.
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LEHIGH HILLFourteen Lance toyed with the small piece of cream-colored paper. The embossed printing was iridescent, with the letters changing colors as you moved the paper slightly. It was classy and beautiful. “James Lance, are you listening to me?” His mother said in his ear. He jumped.“Yes, Mama. I’m sorry. I was just looking at this wedding invitation I received.”“A wedding,” his mother sighed, and Lance rolled his eyes. “I don’t suppose you’ll be in one of those anytime soon?”“I MIGHT be in one like this. It’s a gay wedding, Mama. Tomorrow, actually,” Lance said with a grin.“Please don’t start that, James,” his mother snapped, and he grinned again. She still loved him, but she’d never accept the fact that he was homosexual.“I’m sorry,” he said, and changed the subject.When he got off the phone, he went out onto his balcony. It was a beautiful California Saturday, but the weather did not mirror his mood. He missed JC terribly, and he knew there was nothing he could do about his situation. He wasn’t about to chase JC down, to get on his knees and beg his forgiveness. He had burned JC once before, and he didn’t blame him for being upset this time. He knew exactly how it had looked, and AJ had played the situation perfectly.As if reading his mind, the phone rang and Lance heard AJ’s voice after his own on the answering machine. “Baby, it’s me. Are you still pouting? You’re so cute when you pout. That scrawny little white boy is yesterday’s news. We belong together. Even the media thinks so. I…”“What do you want, you mousy little fuck?” Lance snapped, picking up the phone.“Baby!” AJ said pleasantly. “You ARE there.”“Don’t call me that. Only ONE man on this planet has the right to call me baby.”“And he wants nothing to do with you,” AJ reminded him cheerfully. “Bab…I mean, Lance, c’mon. You know you want us to get back together again…if only for the sex.”“I prefer sex without the chance of disease, thank you,” Lance said. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t call me again.”“You’ll regret it,” AJ said. “He’s nothing like me.”“No, he’s a decent human being.” Lance hung up and went back onto the balcony, grabbing the invitation to Joey and Justin’s wedding on his way. He sat on a deck chair and stared at the invitation. It had been sent before his breakup with JC, and Justin had written a message inside. “I’m sure you clean up nice. We’d love it if you could make it,” Lance read out loud. He sighed. He could crash the wedding, because he knew for sure that JC would be there, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to bring his drama to Joey and Justin’s special day. “Well?” Justin turned away from the mirror and looked at JC. “Am I presentable?”“Oh, J,” JC said weakly. Justin looked gorgeous in his black tuxedo. He and Joey were both wearing tuxes. Justin’s dress shirt was a light blue, while Joey’s was dark red. “You look amazing.”“You’re not too bad yourself,” Justin commented. JC was Justin’s best man, and Joey’s brother, Steve, was standing up with him. The two best men wore more simple versions of the tuxedos the grooms were wearing. “You’ll outshine the bride, that’s for sure.”“I’m confused. Which one of you is which again?” JC teased and Justin frowned.“Curls do NOT make a bride,” he said, pushing down on his golden locks. JC came up behind him, put his arms around Justin’s waist, and put his chin on his shoulder.“You two deserve this. A perfect day, surrounded by friends, showing everyone your love and devotion.”“You could have this, too,” Justin said simply. Now it was JC’s turn to frown.“J…”“I’m not gonna push, Jayce, but I think you should hear him out. AJ is a drug-addicted loser. There’s no way Lance is THAT dumb.” JC raised an eyebrow but said nothing. “We invited Lance and he sent back the RSVP card saying no,” he told JC. “Sent a nice gift, but said he had other engagements. He probably didn’t want to freak you out.”“If he woulda come back here, I would have punched him in the face,” JC said bravely, and Justin smiled.“That was almost believable.”Nick poked his head in the door. “Dude…it’s time.”Justin took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s do this.” JC smiled as he watched Joey whirl Justin around the dance floor. No matter what Justin said, he definitely looked like a blushing bride, giggling as Joey twirled him in circles. “Happy people make me sick,” Chris commented, sipping at his beer.“YOU’RE not a happy person?” Nick asked incredulously.“I’m an extremely happy person. But I didn’t want JC to feel left out.”“I’m fine, Chris,” JC said, patting Chris’ shoulder. “I’m not gonna ask you guys to not be happy just because of me.”“Let’s dance, then,” Chris said, pulling JC to his feet.“Nah. You two go,” JC said, sitting back down. Chris sighed, then dragged Nick to the dance floor. JC watched the two couples dance, wondering if he could concentrate enough on their happiness to ignore his own emptiness.
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OVER THE HILLFifteen “Are you sure you don’t need me to come along?” Chris asked as he hefted Joey’s suitcase into the back of Joey’s car. “I could be your chauffeur…or carry your bags.”“I think you’ll be busy enough moving into Nick’s place,” Justin said, slamming the trunk shut.“Isn’t it convenient how you two just HAPPENED to go on your honeymoon during moving week?” Nick asked, crossing his arms and leaning back against the car. Justin grinned and hugged Joey.“So convenient.” He gave Joey a smacking kiss and went back into the house, where JC was sitting in the living room. “Thanks for looking after the place.”“Not a problem. I’ll come over every night after the gallery closes,” he said, standing. Joey and Justin had waited a few weeks after the wedding to leave on their honeymoon. They were going to Hawaii for ten days.“Do you want me to bring you a present?” Justin said, hugging JC.“Nah…well…maybe some hot Hawaiian surfer. Someone who’s in great physical shape and doesn’t waste time talking,” JC said with a grin.“No. I’ll bring you a seashell so you can hear the ocean. You don’t need mindless sex,” Justin scolded.“Who doesn’t need sex?” Chris asked, coming into the room.“You,” Justin and JC said together. “Don’t forget…you need to come into the office today for about an hour,” Kevin said to Lance. Lance groaned as he moved his phone to the other ear.“Man, Kev…I thought I was done signing all those contracts.”“Remember, I told you about this. This is about that investment I think you should look into,” Kevin said.“You take care of all my investments. I trust you.”“You shouldn’t,” Kevin said, and Lance laughed. Kevin was the most trustworthy person he knew. “You should have someone check me out now and then.”“Kevin, your COUSIN is your stockbroker. Your mama would kick BOTH your asses if either one of you did something illegal. I’ve met her. I know what she’s like.”“Good point,” Kevin agreed. “Anyway…these guys are from the East Coast…they’re breezing through L.A. today…can you be in the office at two?”“Sure,” Lance sighed. “They’re waiting in the small conference room. I figured privacy was important,” Kevin said, walking down the hallway of the small set of offices he rented to manage Lance’s life.“Wow, this must be…” Lance froze as he walked into the room. Justin and Joey stood, smiling nervously. They both wore shorts, sandals and t-shirts. “Well, hey,” Lance said weakly. “Most people I meet in this room aren’t usually dressed that comfortably.” He fingered his own tie.“Hi, Lance,” Justin said, smiling warmly. Memories of Will flooded through Lance, and he walked over to hug Justin. “We know you’re innocent,” Justin whispered.“Lance,” Joey said, reaching out his hand. Lance took it and shook it. “How are you?”“Fine,” Lance said, giving Kevin an inquisitive look. Kevin shrugged and left the conference room, shutting the door behind him. “What’s going on?”“We were passing through L.A., on our way to Hawaii,” Joey began.“On our honeymoon,” Justin added, smiling shyly.“That’s great.” Lance leaned against the conference table. “Kevin told me I had to meet with some investors.”“That wasn’t a lie,” Joey said. He looked at Justin, who took a deep breath.“We’d like to open a café back home. And we wanted to ask you if you’d be our backer.”“Me?” Lance said blankly.“Yes. You’d give us the money, and we’d run the place. If we don’t make a profit and have to close, we’ll pay you back.”“That wouldn’t be necessary,” Lance said immediately. “How involved would I have to be?”“Not very,” Justin said quickly. “You’d never even have to come see the place, though we’d like you to. Joey would be head chef, I’d manage the front, and…” Justin shrugged. “Hopefully it’s a winner.”“I should talk to Kevin,” Lance said.“We already have,” Joey said. “We contacted him first.”“Hmmm.” Lance raised an eyebrow. “Does JC know about this?”“No,” Justin said, fidgeting. “But it doesn’t involve him. It’s not his business. And he never needs to know, if you don’t want him to.”“Okay,” Lance said suddenly. “I’ll do it.”
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OVER THE HILLSixteenFour Months Later “Right this way, please.” Justin picked up three menus and led the women to a small table by the window. He pulled a small brush out of his pocket and quickly brushed crumbs from the seats. “Is this okay, ladies?”“Fine, thank you.” The youngest woman gave Justin a winning smile. He politely smiled back.“I hope you enjoy your lunches. I know Joey has a special salad on the menu today.” Justin smiled again and walked away from the table. He headed into the kitchen. “Babe, the three witches are here. I told them you have a special salad on the menu for them.”“Great, J, now I gotta come up with something,” Joey grumbled. “Like I don’t have enough to worry about with Lance coming today. Who has them?”“Tina,” Justin said.“Get her over here. I’ll give her the salad and she can tell them,” Joey sighed. Justin smiled, blew his husband a kiss, and headed out into the dining room again. He was surprised to see Chris, Nick and JC at the door.“Uh, hi, guys, what’s going on?” Justin glowered at Chris, who whistled and looked around the room.“Lunch,” JC said strangely. “You DO serve lunch in this place, right?”“That’s what we’re here for,” Justin said nodding. He looked around nervously. Lance was coming in sometime that day for his first visit, and Justin was already anxious. He had given Chris specific orders to keep JC away that day, and now here they were. “How about…back here?” Justin began to walk to a tiny table by the door to the kitchen.“We’ll barely fit around that thing!” JC said, laughing. “Just because we’re friends doesn’t mean we shouldn’t get the star treatment.”“I just thought you’d want to maybe go back and see Joe,” Justin said, shrugging. He moved to a bigger table a few feet away. “Better?”“Yes.” JC took his menu and sat down.“Uh, sit here, C,” Nick said, pointing to a chair that with its back to the rest of the room. “I get paranoid if my back is to a room.”“You’re weird,” JC said, but he moved to the offered seat. Justin gave Nick a smile of relief.“Hey, Chris, Joey wanted to talk to you a second. Come on back to the kitchen.” Justin walked away, not even looking to see if Chris was behind him. As soon as they were in the kitchen, Justin hissed, “You dumbass, you had to come here? How big is this town? How many restaurants are there? You could have gotten takeout, for God’s sake!”“I know, J, I know.” Chris rubbed at his forehead wearily. “Nick and I did everything we could without getting obvious. He really wanted to eat here.”“Who?” Joey said from behind the line.“JC,” Justin said.“Chris, you dumbass!” Joey practically yelled. “Where’s Colby?”“Here,” the man said, coming through the swinging doors. He was Justin’s backup host, which was necessary over lunch. The new café had done remarkably well in its first few weeks.“Come here.” Joey put an arm around his shoulders. “Keep this on the lowdown. Lance Bass is coming today.”“What?” Colby almost squeaked.“Yes. He’s coming to look at his investment. Whatever you do, if he gets here in the next two hours, keep him away from the table of our three friends.”“Near the wall,” Justin added.“He can look at the kitchen later,” Joey finished. “And keep an eye on Ethan and Jerri. None of that wandering off to the stockroom to make out stuff, okay?”“Gotcha,” Colby said, nodding. He returned to the dining room.“Shit,” Justin said, sighing. Nick and Chris desperately tried to rush JC through his meal without being obvious. Unfortunately, JC was one of the slowest eaters on the planet, and he especially preferred to take his time with Joey’s cooking.“You know, babe, we have that thing soon,” Nick said to Chris, looking at his watch.“Oh, right, the thing,” Chris said, nodding.“I’m sorry. Was I keeping you two from something?” JC asked, looking up from the dessert menu.“No!” Nick and Chris said together.“Of course not,” Chris finished.“You could go…I can eat alone,” JC said.“Not necessary,” Nick said, shaking his head.JC raised an eyebrow, then went back to his menu. “Amber just gave them their check,” Justin said to Joey. “Hopefully they’ll leave now. Chris is even offering to pay.”“That should be enough to make JC suspicious,” Joey said, rolling his eyes.“I hope he likes it,” Justin said. “I really hope he does.”“He will, J,” Joey said, smiling at Justin. “Lance is a good guy.”“I wish JC could realize that,” Justin muttered, then went back out front. JC, Chris and Nick were on their way to the front door. He sighed with relief. “You guys have a great day, okay?”“Thanks, J. I’ll call you later,” JC told him. Justin nodded. His heart leapt into his throat as a long black limo pulled up out front. “I won’t need you to come back for me,” Lance told the driver. “I’ll get a ride to the hotel.”“Yes, sir,” the driver said, holding the door open.Lance looked up at the café. It was classy yet fun, with a big sign over the door that read “Joey Lake’s.” He grinned. He had loved the idea of the name from day one. Justin hurried over to open the door. “Hey, Justin.”“Hi, Lance. Why don’t we go around back and start from the kitchen?” Justin asked brightly. “Who’s that in the limo?” JC wondered.“Heaven knows. This place gets all kinds of rich people,” Chris said. “Let’s go, Jayce.”“Chris, what is your…” JC started to say as Chris shoved him out the door. He turned into solid rock as he saw Justin talking to Lance. “Justin, I’d rather…” Lance turned even paler as he looked over his shoulder and saw JC.“You’d rather what?” Justin said, turning to see what Lance was looking at. “Oh…” Justin said weakly.
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SeventeenJC and Lance stared at one another. “Guys, don’t fight, okay?” Nick asked softly.“You two need to talk. Come inside to the office,” Justin suggested, gently tugging on Lance’s sleeve. “C’mon.”“Go,” Chris ordered, giving JC a shove.The group walked through the dining room to the stairs that led to the second floor. Diners stared at them curiously, but they did not stop eating. “Here you go. Take as long as you need,” Justin said. He opened the door, flipped on the light, and smiled. “Go ahead.”Nick, Justin and Chris disappeared back down the stairs. Lance walked into the office. JC followed him, closing the door behind them. “What are you doing here?” He almost growled. He didn’t want to see Lance. He didn’t want to look at him, didn’t want to remember the taste, smell and feel of him.“I’m here to check into my investment.” Lance sat on the edge of the desk and folded his arms across his chest. He looked every inch the businessman.“Investment?”“I’m the one who gave the money to start this place,” Lance replied.JC rolled his eyes. “All the restaurants in California and you had to come back here? Probably the only place that would take your money.”“For your information…” Lance struggled to sound polite. “…they asked me. Joey and Justin stopped by on their way to Hawaii.”JC blinked. “Really? Justin never said…”“Do you REALLY think he would have mentioned my name to you?” Lance interrupted. “Think about it, JC. Justin loves you like a brother, but even HE knows when to stop.”“What do you want to talk to me about?” JC sighed.“I don’t want to talk to you about anything! Justin’s the one that shoved us in here,” Lance retorted. “You don’t want to listen to anything I have to say, anyway.”“You’re a good actor, Lance. I couldn’t believe anything you said, regardless.” JC looked at Lance.“What if I said I was just a boy, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love me?” Lance asked. JC snorted.“Figures you’d quote a movie…and not even one of your OWN.”“This is insane.” Lance headed for the door.“You coulda been a bit more discreet,” JC said, and Lance stopped in his tracks. “I mean, if you were planning on meeting up with AJ in Paris, you could have simply done it while I was out painting or something.”“You STILL think I was hooking up with him?” Lance asked incredulously. “Have you seen ANYTHING in the media about us being together? No. You haven’t. Because we’re NOT together. I want nothing to do with his skanky ass. He used me. He was trying to get me to get back together with him. I was NOT interested!”“You sure looked like you were,” JC snapped, but his defenses were falling. Lance was saying everything JC really wanted to hear.“I couldn’t believe the audacity of his thinking. He actually thought that I’d want him over you. He thought that being involved with a famous, wealthy model was more important than being involved with the person who held my heart. I was shocked…and then you walked up.”“I’m not a model…or famous…or wealthy…” JC said. “He’s right.”“When have I EVER said I wanted all of that?” Lance asked. “Josh, you’re more gorgeous than any model…at least to me. You’re going to be famous in your own right, someday, when you start really displaying your art. And wealth? I have a bazillion dollars in the bank…do I really look happy?”JC stared at Lance, who looked pale and thin and pretty much miserable. “No,” he admitted.“I’m shit without you, Josh,” Lance said sadly. “I miss you so much. But if you’ll let AJ, and your own paranoia, come between what we could have, then I can’t do anything about it.”“I’ve missed you, too,” JC said. Lance walked back to JC and put his hands on JC’s face.“I dream about you at night,” Lance said softly, cupping JC’s face in his hands and trailing his thumbs over JC’s cheekbones. “I just dream about holding you and laughing with you and making love to you. I’ve been miserable without you.”“I’m sorry,” JC whispered.“Don’t be. Just trust my love for you, okay? Trust that I love you…more than anything in the world.”“I love you, too.” JC’s voice trembled. Lance sighed with relief and pulled JC into a crushing embrace. “I don’t hear anything,” Chris whispered. He stood up as Justin came quietly running up the stairs.“Here,” he said breathlessly, handing Chris a glass.“Ah.” Chris put the glass to the door, then his ear to the glass. “I don’t hear anything. I mean, I hear something, but they’re not fighting.”“They’re probably making up,” Nick said with a grin. “Most people aren’t as loud at that as you are.”Chris had the decency to blush. “C’mon,” Justin said, starting down the stairs again. “Drinks are on me.” The End