Skating on Lake Eerie

Author's Note- A guy moment that hit me during Crash and Burn. Enjoy!

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"Have you ever been ice skating?" Joey asked. He wasn't talking to anyone in particular, just whoever would listen.

"I have," Chris replied.

They were all chillin' in a hotel before their big concert that night. Chris and Justin were checking their email, J.C. and Lance were channel surfing, and Joey sat on a chair not doing anything.

"Where?" Joey asked.

"It was a long time ago, when I was little. I went to Lake Eerie, I think."

"Why do you want to know?" Justin asked.

"Just wondering. I can't ice skate," Joey confessed.

"It takes practice," Chris said, deleting a message.

"Why don’t one of you go get us something to drink?" J.C. asked, not bothering to look at them.

"What do you want?" Justin asked.

"I don't know wine or something," J.C. said.

After a few moments of silence, Chris got up. "I'll get it," he sighed, heading for the door.

"Don't be long!" Joey said, smiling.

Chris rolled his eyes and continued out the door. He didn't mind getting something. He heard the hotel had a huge, walk-in refrigerator full of wine and beer and he wanted to see for himself.

He trudged down the stairs and through the lobby to the kitchen. There was only one cook, and a janitor who was mopping the floors. Ahead, Chris saw the infamous refrigerator. He peered through the window and saw there was no light inside to see what they had.

Chris pulled open the door, surprised at how extremely heavy it was. He used his whole body to pull open the door, only getting it open a few inches. Then he carefully squirmed inside, still holding the door. It was too dark inside, so he tried leaving the door open to see.

But then his foot hit something slick, keeping him from getting enough traction to open the door. He pushed with all his might, his breath steaming, but his feet slid uselessly underneath him.

As he pushed harder, he slid away from the door more, until his feet finally slid out from underneath him and he fell, hitting his head on the way down.

~~~~~~~~

"Where is he? We got a show in twenty minutes!" Lance said as they ran about, getting ready.

"J.C. sent him to get wine," Justin replied, stepping into his tearaway pants.

"Are you saying I should go find him?" J.C. asked.

"Well-"

"Because I will," J.C. finished, surprising the others as he left. 'How does he always manage to be late?' J.C. wondered as he headed for the kitchen. He had seen Chris eyeing the walk-in refrigerator before, and figured that was the best place to look.

The kitchen was dark, making J.C. cautious. 'Where is he?' he questioned, continuing to the window on the refrigerator door. He turned on the light inside, using the switch to the right of the door. Inside, Chris stood in the center of the refrigerator, blinking owlishly. He was shivering and frost was forming in his hair.

J.C. could see the light reflecting off the floor, and figured something was spilt on the floor and froze. Confused, J.C. pulled open the door, surprised at its heaviness. He then figured what must have happened and grabbed a trashcan, placing it in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" he asked, waving his hand in front of Chris's face. J.C. noticed a lump rising on the side of his friend's head, and he noticed Chris's slow reaction.

"Where am I?" Chris asked. "Is this Lake Eerie?"

J.C. smiled and said, "Come on, let's go get your head defrosted." J.C. turned to leave, but Chris remained where he was, petrified. "Come on, your gonna freeze," J.C. urged.

"I'm sorry about before, I lied. I can't ice skate," Chris replied quietly.

"It's okay," J.C. said. "Here, take my hand."

Chris slowly took the offered hand and wobbly stepped forward. He seemed different, more tired and quiet. J.C. smiled as he realized what a fight Chris must have put up trying to get out.

J.C. tensed, feeling himself slide on the slick floor as Chris unsteadily walked towards him. J.C. finally pulled his icy friend out of the refrigerator as Joey and a chef entered the kitchen.

"What happened?" the chef asked, almost angry.

"I went skating," Chris replied shakily, smiling.

"What?"

"He got locked in the refrigerator," J.C. clarified. "I'm guessing he fell on the ice and hit his head."

"Ice- what?" the chef became confused, and looked in the refrigerator. "That idiot," he mumbled. "They moped the floors today."

"But why did it freeze?" Joey asked.

"We were testing it," the chef replied, embarrassed. "I'm sorry about all of this."

"Come on," J.C. said to Chris. "Let's go get you warmed up."

"But I didn't learn how to skate," Chris mumbled, his teeth rattling.

"I'll teach you some time," Joey smiled, pushing Chris towards the stairs. "And we'll do it on a real lake."

Finnis!

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