Part 5

I'll be there for you


One week later

JC would be held at Mercy General for another week or until deemed fit. He was still wavering between various levels of consciousness and developed an infection during the first few days of recovery. He was now taking additional medications. JC’s body was extremely weak and he was looking quite sickly in Justin’s opinion. Justin and Lance now permanently resided in JC’s room while he recovered, while Joey visited everyday. Chris, however, visited less frequently as the week went by. The eldest member, whenever he did visit, never once approached JC nor spoke with him.

Justin sat quietly in the room staring at the sleeping form in front of him. He had been reading his book before he begun thinking about JC again. He laid the book in his lap while he stretched his long tired body and never bothered picking it back up. Justin was making sure that if JC did wake; he would be the first one knowing about it. However, JC had only recovered consciousness twice during the week and that started Justin worrying. When JC did awaken, however, he was barely aware of his surroundings or the people in the room with him. The privilege of earning some sort of reaction from JC resided wholly with Justin. A slight smile spread across Justin’s face. He liked the idea of JC only responded when he was in the room. It made him feel better, although, he wished it would happen more often.  

Justin’s head turned quickly around when he heard a small clatter. His gaze instantly fell upon the one person who had stood with him and JC through the entire week, Lance. Justin determined the older blond had been moving a large lead crystal vase filled with an array of flowers and accidentally knocked a baby blue bear into another vase, which consequently caused the slight noise.  

“Opps, sorry Justin. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

“No, Lance it’s okay.” Justin ran a hand through his curls. “I was just watching him hoping he would move or something. He’s been still for quite a long time now. I mean were in a hospital for crying out loud. He should be getting better not worse.”

“Hey, J you need to calm down. We don’t need you having another panic attack but your right.” Lance began arranging the vases again. “You know,” he sighed. “JC sure has a lot of flowers and bears.” Lance looked over at Justin and gave a knowing smile.

“I’m sorry Lance,” Justin laughed. “I just couldn’t decided which ones to get him, so I got them all.”  

“It’s all right. Lance smirked, “It gives me something to do everyday, but really don’t you think lilies or crocus would’ve been more originally than daisies?”

“Shut up. I’m not the one fussing over them and besides next thing ya know you’ll be dusting and vacuuming in here.”

Lance deep voice chuckled, “I don’t think so, Justin. Although, it definitely could us it.”

“Will see.” There was a comfortable silence spreading between them and across the room. Both boys were busing themselves when a knock was heard at the door.  

“Hey, guys. Is it all right if I come in?”

“Good morning, Joey. How are you doing?” Lance looked around Joey.  

“Well, so far so good, Lance. No, Chris didn’t come with me. I really don’t know what is wrong with him, but he simply refuses to come see JC.” Joey tipped his head in JC’s direction, “Speaking of which, anything new with sleeping beauty over there?”

“No. Still the same.” Justin put his book down when he addressed Joey. “I don’t understand Chris either,” he sighed. “I guess, maybe, he doesn’t like hospitals.”

“I don’t know whether that’s good or bad, eh, JC condition that is.” Joey tried concealing his disappointment as he casually walked over toward JC’s bed and stood there for a moment. Lance continued moving around the vases and Justin began reading his book again, allowing Joey a moment alone with JC.  

Justin was thankful; Joey came and saw JC every morning and every night. He would always ask Justin or Lance if there was any change or if he had responded to either one of them. Sometimes Joey was greeted with positive answers and a gleeful Justin, but recently there had not been any changes in JC’s consciousness. When Joey completed his morning ritual he walked back toward Justin and sat on the couch beside him. “Um…” he started. “Got some bad new, Johnny called. He wants to meet with us. He said that he’s gonna fill us in on what was decided.” Joey placed his hand on Justin’s thigh. “Quite honestly, I don’t like the sounds of this guys. Johnny can be a bit manipulative and if he can advance himself and his career than he will.”

“I don’t think Johnny would do that to us, to JC,” Lance said while moving toward the couch.

“Don’t be naďve, Lance,” Joey replied.

“Lance, I think Joey may have a point. I mean he wouldn’t even let Dr. Thompson tell JC’s parents about the rape.” Justin looked at Joey. “Do you have any idea what Johnny will say or what his plan is?”

“I honestly don’t know.”

“Well, what time did he call the meeting for?”

“Believe it or not Lance, Johnny knows I come here every morning; so he told me to bring you two back with me to the hotel. We’re having it in like ten minutes.”

“You’re shitting me right?”  

“No Justin, I’m not. I wish I was though.”

“Johnny must be crazy if he thinks I’m leaving JC for a stupid meeting,” Justin said.  

“Yeah really crazy,” Lance added.

Justin frantically grabbed Joey’s forearm, “You’re not gonna make me go are you Joey? You’re not gonna make me leave JC? What if he wakes up, Joey and no one is here. He’ll think we’ve all abandon him, just like before and like Chris is now.”

“Whoa, Justin. I don’t think Chris has abandon him, I think he just has some issues he needs to clear up,” Joey responded.

“Joey quit covering for him. He’s being an ass plain and simple,” the bass quipped.

“Anyway, what do you want me to tell Johnny, JuJu?”

“I don’t know. Just tell him I simply didn’t want to go. Tell him I threw a huge fit and made a scene. I don’t care what the hell you tell him, Joey, but I’m not going.”

“All right, all right, I kinda figured you were going to say that.” Joey looked pitifully at Lance, “What about you, Scoop? Do you want me to make up an excuse for you too?”

“I don’t want to go, but I think it’ll be easier for you to make excuses for one of us; not both.” Lance shrugged his shoulders, “I guess you’re stuck with me.”

“That’s not a bad thing. Thanks Lance. I really appreciate this. Now I only have ta listen to Johnny rant and rave about one of you. That’s really unselfish of you.” Joey turned smiling at Justin, “Unlike some of us in the room.”  

“Oh sure make me the bad guy Lance,” Justin smiled. Justin was extremely happy that Joey was not pressing the issue and was glad there would be no argument on the topic. He was not ready to reveal the promise he made JC; he didn’t think he ever would be. “I owe you one Joey.”

“Yeah, you’ll owe me big for this. I can hear Johnny now.” Joey half-heartedly lifted himself up off the couch using Justin as a brace. “Well, come on Lance, is time to face the fury that is Johnny.”

“Super, I can’t wait.”

The two boys left the room leaving Justin in their wake.  

 

Justin watched as his two friends exited the room and sighed. He has been waiting for some alone time with JC since the first day they were allowed to see him. Elbow resting on the arm of the couch, chin in hand; he stared at the sleeping form in front of him. The blonde’s sight blurred and tears welled up as visions of the attack crept back into his thoughts. Visions of JC’s entrapped body lying across the small table floated unwanted into Justin’s exhausted mind. Wrists, ankles and thighs tied viciously with thick-corded rope against the table’s legs. Their manager was pounding his body into JC’s defenseless one tearing and ripping his friend open, while five others beat the brunette with small whips. He blinked profusely willing the memory away, wishing them out. It was not working. The images were in full bloom in his mind and he could not get rid of them. Justin closed his eyes, leaned his head back and rested it on the back of the soft comforting couch. Shoulders shaking with each sob that wretched through his body, he spoke, “Why God? Why him?” The tears escaped Justin eyes and tumbled down the side of his face as he continued repeating the horrific night.  

The blond just started drifting into a restless sleep when he heard a faint noise. He tried ignoring it at first, but the noise became more persistent and louder with each passing moment. Finally, giving up on the notion of sleep he slowly opened his eyes and surveyed the room. When his gaze fell upon JC he was shocked fully awake. JC was facing him hand slightly extend in the direction of the younger man. Justin quickly darted off the couch and ran to JC’s side, engulfing the offered hand in his grasp and corralling it into his chest. “Oh, baby. You’re awake,” Justin wheezed silently thanking God and tears streaking his cheeks.

“Uh huhh,” JC’s raspy tired voice whispered around the tubes.

“I’m so glad,” Justin sobbed, “so glad.” The blond boy cried out right. Body heaving with each breath he took. He felt a soft tickle spread across his chest and he gazed down at the entwined fingers resting there. JC was moving his fingers against him soothingly in an attempt at calming him down. The action only made Justin cry harder. The blond reached his free hand up and brushed his knuckles down a bruised cheek and then petted the damp dark hair. “I’ve missed you.”  

JC nodded his head minutely but enough for Justin to notice.

Justin saw tears rolling from JC opened eyes. “What’s wrong? What can I do?”

“Unnnn… I hurt.”

“I’ll get a nurse for you, baby. Just don’t leave me, k. You’ve gotta promise me you’ll stay awake for me. Promise.”

Again JC moved his head up and down acknowledging Justin’s words.

“K,” Justin reluctantly let go of the brunette’s hand, “be right back.”

Justin ran from the room, away from Lonnie and down the hallway searching desperately for a nurse. As he rounded a corner his body slammed into an unsuspecting victim sending the person back and onto the floor. Justin looked down at the person he just ran into and quickly drew the conclusion that it was the person he was in search of. “Hey, I need you down the hall.” The blond boy turned to leave, peering over his shoulder he noticed the nurse was getting up slowly. “Um… I’m sorry about knocking you over, Nurse...”  

“Jennings.”

“Right.” He walked back toward the fallen woman and held his hand out, helping her up. “I’m kinda in a hurry. My friend just woke up and he’s in pain and I told him I’d find one of you to help him.”

“Hang on their young man, give me a chance to get my bearings.” She took the offered hand and let Justin pull her up. “Who’s your friend?”  

“He’s down here. Come on, hurry up.” Justin again ran down the hall turning his head and looking back every few seconds making sure the nurse was still behind him.  

“Slow down there youngster. I can’t keep up with you.”

Justin slowed his pace and waited impatiently for the older nurse to catch up with. “He’s in here.”

“You’re kidding me right?” the Nurse Jennings asked as she looked at the room number.

“What do you mean?”

“That patient isn’t scheduled to wake up for another couple of days.”

“What?”

“Well, with the amount of meds we’re putting into his system, I’d be amazed if he was up, practically a freaking miracle.” The nurse put her hands on her hips, “Are you fooling with me boy.”

“No! Why that’s up surd.” Justin looked around frantically. “You need to go in there and help him. Stop questioning me.”

“Look, I don’t know who you think you are, but the man in that room can’t possible be awake.”

“Are you calling me a liar? I was just fucking in there with him. He seemed awake to me, unless you think I’m crazy and I carry on conversations with myself.”

“You said it. Not me.”

Justin threw his hands over his head and yelled, “Jesus, fucking Christ. I can’t believe this shit.” Justin began pacing, “You people are all the same, none of you do anything except irritate the visitors and be rude.”  

Upon hearing Justin’s tantrum Lonnie hurriedly came out of the room. “What seems to be the problem, J?”

The blond waved his hand in the direction of the nurse, “She doesn’t believe me that JC is awake and in pain, Lonnie.” Justin looked back into the room, “He could be in their dying and Nurse FrankenBitch, here, won’t do anything to help him.”

“Well, nurse,” he looked closely at her name tag, “Jennings, I suggest you go in there and find out for yourself.”

“Fine whatever, but if I find out you were lying, I’ll make sure you never step foot in this hospital again.”

“Oh for crying out loud, you’ve got to be kidding me here.” Justin turned from the two and started toward the door.

Lonnie laughed and grabbed the nurses arm gently, “You really don’t want to go there, Nurse Jennings.” Lonnie opened the door for the nurse and the three of them entered the room.  

JC’s face was turned toward the ceiling and it seemed from where they were standing that JC was indeed sleeping. “I told you, son. There is no way that man could be awake.”

“Lady, refer to him as JC please.”  

“You haven’t even gone to the bed or anything. Your just gonna stand here and determine he’s asleep.” Justin voice was rising. “I fucking can’t believe this shit. I mean is this what they teach you in Nursing School. Is there a class called Stand and Stare 101: How to diagnose while 200 ft away.” Lonnie turned his face away from the nurse and laughed silently.  

“Look who’s being rude now, young man.”

“Why don’t you fuckin walk your lazy ass over toward the bed and see first hand if he is…”

Before Justin could finish a barely audible groan came from the direction of JC’s bed. All three heads turned and faced the supposed sleeping man. “JC, ba…. buddy.”

Justin silently cursed himself for almost using the term of endearment. “Are you up, C?”

Another moan came from the bed and then the body rolled, head pushed back into the pillow chest billowed out and hips pushed deeper into the mattress. “Juss…” a mumbled voice was heard.  

“I told you.” Justin ran from the two adults, passed his hospital bed and to JC’s side.  

The brunette’s eyes fluttered open, one still hindered by the wiring for his jaw. He turned his head painfully and gazed at Justin. “Hurrrtttss. Ummm, please.”

Justin began to panic. He glanced over his shoulder and yelled, “Get over here nurse and do your fucking job. Can’t you see he’s in pain?”  

“Justin, calm down.”

“Fuck you Lonnie, get that bitch over here.”

“Justin if you don’t calm down right now, I’m gonna take you back to the hotel with the others.”

Knowing he would never be able to stop Lonnie, Justin forced himself to calm down a little. Of course it helped that he was staring into JC’s eyes and his friend was gently squeezing his hand. “Fine. Whatever. Sorry.”

“Let me go get the doctor.”

Justin leaned down and rested his forehead gently against JC’s and whispered, “Just hang on C. The nurse is getting Dr. Thompson. He’ll take the pain away. Don’t leave me again, baby.”

“K,” a small voice answered.

The blond watched as wave upon wave of pain rolled through JC’s body. Some waves seemed to be small and elicited a meek whimper from JC. Others, however, were much stronger sending the brunette’s body into fits, head thrashing and body arching. These moments were accompanied by loud gasps or moans. Poor baby, Justin thought while tenderly stroking sweaty hair, “when I get you home, you won’t feel any more pain. I’ll take real good care of you. JC was having another fit of pain, “Where the hell is that fucking doctor,” Justin yelled. The youngest member stayed with JC grasping his hand until Dr. Thompson finally arrived. “Where the hell have you been? We don’t have time to waste.” The doctor ignored the blond boy’s comments and calmly asked Justin to step back for a moment while he took JC’s vitals.

“Well, welcome back JC.” The doctor greeted as he pressed a button, which injected JC with morphine. “Justin has been patiently waiting for your return.” Dr. Thompson was greeted with small grunts, and the brunette’s steel blue eyes, although cloudy and blood shot were focused. The doctor began writing some of JC’s vitals down while describing to the patient what he was doing. JC didn’t seem to be listening; instead his gaze was focused on something behind the doctor. Dr. Thompson turned around slightly and confirmed his suspicions. The patient was staring at Justin and Justin was staring back. The doctor faced JC’s prone body again and grabbed JC’s wrist looking for his pulse when suddenly JC screams. The brunette’s eyes are no longer focused behind him but are shut tight and his hips thrust against the brace moving it slightly.  

“Let him go.” Justin screamed. “Get away from him.” The blond was at JC’s side before the doctor could fathom what was going on. Justin grabbed the doctor’s wrist and wrenched it off of JC’s.  

“Justin,” the doctor gasped, “what the hell do you think your doing?”

“I should be asking you the same question. I told you to let go, and you didn’t so I made you.”

“Look, son. I need to take his pulse and check the machines for his blood pressure.”

“Well, I suggest you figure out a different way to do that then laying your hands on him.” Justin was determined in making sure no one hurt JC again, regardless of who that person was.

Dr. Thompson turned around searching for help in the matter. Lonnie hesitantly moved toward the arguing duo and stood beside Justin and JC. “Come on guys. You need to move so that I can do my job.”

“Oh really,” Justin says, “Since when is it your ‘job’ to inflict pain and anguish on your patients.”  

The doctor stared at the young man in disbelieve. “Justin, I would never intentionally hurt JC or any of my patients for that matter.” Dr. Thompson peered behind Justin and realized JC was calm. He looked at Justin; who was still holding onto JC’s wrist. “Okay, kid. I have an idea.”

“What? And I’m not a kid.” Justin answered unconsciously rubbing his thumb on the back of JC’s wrist.

“Why don’t you take his pulse?”

“I… I can’t do that. I’m… I’m not a doctor.”

“Justin. Anyone can take someone’s pulse. There really isn’t any magically technique for it. All you have to do is place one or two fingers on his radial pulse. Then time it, counting how many beats you feel.”

“Hmm… that’s it… sounds easy enough. All right.” Justin turned JC’s wrist over and smoothed his index and middle finger across the pale clammy skin just above the bandages. He quietly felt for the beating rhythm of JC’s heart. He whispered, “I think I’ve got it.” A small smile appeared on Justin’s lips at the intimacy of the simple task. The blond felt the steady rhythm and started counting.  

“Justin?”  

“Shh, I’m counting.”

“Justin,” Lonnie this time nudged the young pop star.

“What Lonnie?”

“You may want to watch a clock instead of staring at JC’s wrist.”

Justin cheeks flushed pink and he bashfully looked around for a clock. “Umm… I knew that. I …was just umm… practicing.”

“Right Justin, cuz it has been a long time since you had to use your counting ability.”

“Shut up.”

Lonnie chuckled and pointed toward the wall clock hanging above the door. Not wanting to look away from JC, Justin asked Lonnie if he would walk over and tell him when one minute was up. The black bodyguard obediently obliged Justin’s request.

The doctor watched the two young men together and then silently moved next to Lonnie. “Hey, Lonnie.”

“Yeah, doc.”

“Can I ask you a few questions?” the doctor whispered.

“Sure, just give me a second here.” Lonnie turns around and yelled, “Time.” He caught the doctor staring at his two charges while turning back around. Yelling again at Justin, “Well, Dr. Timberlake what’s the verdict?”

Justin shrugged his shoulders but no one was looking at him. He lost count about halfway and just concentrated on the feel of JC’s heartbeat upon his fingers. The soft methodical rhythm was compelling and Justin felt empowered by it.

“Justin?”

“Oh, umm…I don’t know Lonnie. What’s the difference anyway, he’s awake and that’s all that should matter, right?”

“J, if you weren’t gonna do it you should’ve just let the doctor.” Lonnie addressed Dr. Thompson, “Sorry doctor it looks like your plan failed, but what did you want to ask me.”

“Well, you’ve been around these boys for a while, right?” Lonnie nodded. “I noticed in Justin’s medical record that he’d be turning nineteen in a few months.”

“Yeah, so.”

“JC will be twenty-three.”

“What’s your question doctor?”

“How long have the five of them been working in the music business?”

“Gosh, doc. I think they started in 96 or 97, not sure. So I would venture to say four or five years. Why?”

“Well, I’m worried that this may have happened to more than just one of them. Justin and Lance are a lot younger than JC, this Mr. Pearlman character could’ve done this to one of them before trying it with JC. My theory could explain why Justin is having such strong reactions to what happened.”

“I don’t know about that doc. If you’d seen what we witnessed, I think if you were and eighteen year old boy, you’d been deeply affect as well.” Lonnie paused for a moment, “Umm…Joey is younger as well, doctor.”

“Yeah, but Joey is much bigger than the other three. No, he wouldn’t be a viable target.”

“Hmmm. Good point.” The doctor looked back at JC’s bed with sad eyes, watching the young men interact. Justin was telling JC a story all the while holding the weary man’s hand and twirling his hair. Lonnie noticed the uncertain stare, “Is there something else doc.”

“Yeah.” Dr. Thompson looked down and back toward Lonnie, “I didn’t want to tell Justin this, but I’ve found evidence of past injuries.”

“Oh, God.”

“Yeah, I don’t think this was an isolated incident of abuse with JC,” the doctor paused. “I don’t think it would be wise to tell anyone else about my findings until I can approach JC about it. I just wanted at least one of you bodyguards to know my suspicions, especially if charges aren’t pressed.”  

“Thank you doc.” Lonnie understood the underlining meaning in the doctor’s confession. “I’ll make sure nothing else happens to them. You’ve my word on that.”

Dr. Thompson clasped the larger man’s shoulder, “Good to hear my friend, good to hear.” With that said the doctor turned around and headed for his patient. “Justin, want to give me a hand.”

“Sure,” Justin smiled.

 

Lance and Joey arrived at their hotel just minutes after JC woke. Lonnie had called them and informed them of JC’s condition. The two men entered the conference room with smiles on their faces.

“What the hell are you two smiling for?” Chris asked.

Lance rushed into the room and embraced Chris. “JC’s awake and he’s responding to different stimuli.”

“Meaning?”

“More than just Justin witnessed it,” Joey explained.

“How do we know that?”  

Lance let his arms slip off Chris’s shoulders, “Man, Chris why do you have to be such and asshole. Can’t you just be fucking happy that JC is awake?”

“What? I was just asking.”

The blond bass stormed over toward his chair and sat down with a huff. He crossed his arms over his chest and refused to look at Chris again.

“Come on. Not again.” Chris looked at Joey for support and the younger brunette just shrugged his shoulder. “What did I do this time to piss you off Lance?”

“Are you that fucked up that you can’t figure it out? Hmm… there’s like a half dozen things you’ve done in the past, oh let’s say week, that have pissed me off.”

“Whoa, Lance. Maybe you should just settle down,” Joey said as he sat down in his chair across from the angry singer.

“What ever Lance.” If Lance is upset with me just asking questions I wonder how he is gonna react when Johnny comes in here. Who really gives a fuck what the albino son of a bitch thinks. Stop, Lance hasn’t done anything wrong.

Just as Lance opened his mouth and was about to speak, the door of the conference room opened. Entering the room was Johnny and two others, who were wearing very expensive business suits, whom the boys did not recognize. “Gentlemen, have a seat will you.” The two strangers sat down at the table placing their briefcases in front of them. Johnny looked around the room. “Where’s Justin, Joey?”

“Um, well, you see Johnny that’s a good que…”

“Joey I fucking told you to bring him here. Even if it meant bring him in here kicking and screaming.” Johnny glared at Joey eyebrows furrowed.

“I’m… I’m sorry, Johnny.” Joey stared down at the floor. “He didn’t want to leave JC. I for one agreed with him.”

“No one asked you your opinion Joey.” Johnny looked at Chris, “Justin would’ve been here if you would’ve gone and got him.”

“Whatever,” Chris answered. “Justin is gonna do what Justin wants to do. Nobody is gonna change his mine.”

Johnny calmed himself done before introducing the strange pair that came in the room with him. “Okay, I guess we go without the kid, let me make introductions. First off boys these gentlemen will be taking charge of the case we’ll be filing against Lou. This is Mr. Mike Coffman and his assistant, Mr. Jake Le Blanc.”

Lance was the first one in offering his hand shaking one then the other. “I’m Lance Bass, and it’s great that you guys are on board, I can’t wait till we get those bastards.”  

“Mr. Bass,” both men said simultaneously, they laughed. Mike continued, “We’re anxious as well. Once we looked over your contracts we honestly can’t believe the amount of money Mr. Pearlman has pretty much stole from you.”

Lance’s face went pale. “What?” he stammered.

Johnny interrupted. “You two have met Lance, this here,” he points to Chris, “Is Mr. Chris Kirkpatrick and over there is Mr. Joey Fatone.”

“What do you mean?” Lance continued staring up at Johnny.

“What I mean, Lance, is that as of right now we’ve got a case against Lou for fraud and breech of contract. I am also trying to set up a meeting between Zomba and myself to see if we can get the five of you out from under Lou’s slimy mitts. Quite frankly this is our only, I mean only, option.”

“I…I don’t under… understand what’s going on here, Johnny.”

“Well, Mr. Bass. According to your contract with Trans Con, Lou promised to get you signed with a major record company within 18 months. He has not fulfilled his obligations, couple that with the amount of money he has been taking and you got yourself a tight case,” Mike answered.

Joey looked over at Lance and noticed the color had drained from his face. The brunette knew that Johnny had been up to something, but to outright ignore what happened was all but brutal. He opened his mouth to speak but before anything came out of his mouth he heard Chris’s comment. “How much, Johnny?”

“What the fuck, Chris,” Lance exploded, Joey just shook his head.  

Chris turned his gaze in the direction of Lance, “We need to know the details Lance. We can’t just go in blind.”

“That’s it, I can’t believe this is happening. I’m so outta here.”

Johnny grabbed Lance’s arm and forcefully held him in place. Joey quickly stood up from his chair and started toward Johnny, Chris seized his arm on his way by. “Not now,” he whispers into the younger man’s ear.

Johnny’s grasp tightened as Lance tried pulling away. “Lance. Stop,” their manager slightly jarred Lance into submission. “You need to sit your ass down and stay put. Just hear the lawyers out. After they’re done the rest of us will talk about what to do next.” Lance tried desperately, keeping his tears at bay. His lips were trembling and his eyes blinking rapidly. “Lance,” Johnny said, “sit back down.” Lance did what he was told and sat numbly back down in his chair not once looking up for the rest of the meeting.

 

Lonnie and Dr. Thompson had left the two young singers alone in the room, but before the doctor left he administered another dose of JC’s pain medication through the IV. He also removed the tubing hindering JC’s speech. Dr. Thompson warned Justin that JC would be getting sleepy and he should not keep JC up much longer. Justin also was given another dose of Valium. Justin was still enlightening JC on everything that had happened the past week. The younger boy stopped talking and looked pensively at JC. “How are you feeling now? You look exhausted.”

“Mmmm… okay. The pain has dulled,” the brunette answered softly, “not tired.”

“That’s good.”

“Jus… what did you take?”

“Hmm. What do you mean?”

“The doc…ummm…” JC licked his parched torn lips. “Meds,” he whispered as the strain on his voice sent him into a coughing fit. When he looked back at Justin his eyes were wet. The blond boy grabbed the water off of the bedside table and offered him a little. He held the glass as JC gratefully sipped the water.

“JC you really need to stop talking, you’re gonna hurt your throat more.” Justin unconsciously ran his fingertips across the bruise surrounding JC’s neck. He blinked his eyes slowly fighting the images swirling in his mind, “Does it hurt?”

JC nodded his head, “Yeah.” He peered up and caught Justin’s eyes. “J…you didn’t,” he paused, “answer my ques…” JC shut his eyes as a wave of pain surged through his body.

The teen continued intimately massaging the bruised neck while thinking of how the rope was biting into it as Lou raped him. He rubbed JC’s bandaged wrist, “I know.”

The brunette’s vision returned, “Why?”

Justin shrugged his shoulders. He tilted his head and gave a slight smile, staring. His hand moved up JC’s face, caressing the cool skin. “You look so frail, C. When they first brought you in here I was so…so scared for you.”  

“JuJu,” JC whispered fighting for consciousness.

The blond noticed the older man forcing his eyes open. “Tired, baby?” The response he received contradicted what was in front of him.

“No.”

Justin was also becoming drowsy but he did not want to stop talking. He again stroked JC’s face; “It’s okay if you’re tired. You can sleep,” again the blond blinked slowly, “I’m tired too”

JC shook his head, no. “Please, don’t let me sleep. He comes in my sleep.”

Justin’s heart wrenched when he heard JC speak. The level of clarity and fear in his statement defined just how serious the brunette was. “Oh, JC. You need to sleep in order for your body to heal. It’ll be all right. I’ll be here for you when you wake up.”

“You…” JC leisurely blinks, “prom…ise.”  

“Yeah. I’ll stay right here with you. I won’t go anywhere.”

“I don’t…wanna…alone,” he blinked again mouth barely moving, “comes… sleep… alone.”  

Justin with fresh tears in his eyes; removed his comforting hold on JC and slid his hands underneath him. He carefully gently moved JC’s body over. Making sure everything was still in place, Justin climbed into the small bed with JC. “You won’t be alone, C. I’ll be here for you,” Justin repeated in the brunette’s ear. Justin slid his lithe body along side his friends and pulled him as close as JC’s pain would allow. He felt the older man’s breathing slow, indicating he was asleep. Justin relaxed as well and allowed the mercy of sleep to claim him.



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