Hi everyone...
Wow...people are actually reading my stuff. Thanks for the positive responses. -- I'm even a nominee for some slash-fiction awards! Vote for me please!!!! (http://jump.to/nsync_stories or http://www.geocities.com/sasha02.geo/award.html) I'm nominated in the Best Joey story' and Best Slash Fiction'.
As always, Gabriella and Mike and Charlie are my main cheerleaders. I'm a bit nervous--so if people could please e-mail me at bwicub@hotmail.com--I'd really appreciate it. I love e-mail!!
DISCLAIMER: This is a fictional story that came right out of my own mind. I have no knowledge if any member of N Sync are gay or whatever. That being said, please enjoy the story and remember-- write me!!! (Especially write me if you're a member of the group! GRIN)
--The Lottery Winner Ch 17--
As the plane took off into the air, I couldn't help but wishing that I could slow down. It seems like the past few weeks have been nothing but hectic. I looked around the first class cabin of the plane. JC was asleep over at the far window, Justin was sitting next to him. Chris was sitting behind them and Lance was sitting in back of me. I looked at the man next to me, and couldn't help but wonder at how I was fortunate enough to have him in my life. He must have felt me looking at him. He looked into my eyes and winked at me.
"How're you feeling Dale?"
I grinned at him and rolled my eyes. "Um, like I've been shot. Duh!" I groaned slightly when Lance kicked the back of my seat.
"Geez Dale. Smartass!" Lance laughed and went back to his book.
"So Joey," I turned to him, "do we get to go home first or do we have to go directly to Johnny's office? I think I want to just curl up with you and rest for awhile."
He grabbed my hand and squeezed it. "We have to go directly to WEG hon. Fortunately it shouldn't take too long. Then we get a night to ourselves before the guys and I head back out." I sighed and turned back to the window. I pulled my CD player out of my gym bag. Joey smiled as he saw what I was listening to. He picked up my bag and began rummaging through for the case.
"Wow, `Drive-Thru Hits of the 50's'? This is so cool. Where'd you get it?"
"Um, think this is one of the ones I got from mom. She listened to a bunch of stuff from the 50s and 60s when I was growing up, and it rubbed off on me."
"We'll have to listen to this tonight." He put his head back on the seat and closed his eyes. I started the CD and did the same.
I felt someone lightly shaking me. "Dale. Wake up." I opened my eyes. It was Lance. Joey and I had fallen asleep and he'd leaned over so he was using me as a pillow. It felt nice.
I told Lance I was awake and gently shook Joe. He came to unwillingly. His face lit up when he saw me. I saw that sparkle in his eyes and felt my heart melt.
//Gods, I could spend the next thirty years waking up to that.//
"Come on sleepyhead. We have to get going."
We were let off the plane before the rest of the passengers (the perks of travelling with international superstars.) A security guard met us at the gate, and we were taken directly to a Lincoln Navigator sitting in the parking garage. As he threw our bags into the back, we all piled in.
I was squeezed in between Joey and JC. I took my light jacket off and bundled it up so it was a ball and put it in my lower back. JC saw it and was concerned.
"Dale, what's wrong? Why are you doing that? Are you hurting?"
I just smiled tightly. "I'm just peachy. It just hurts if I sit too long. I need to get out and walk around for a bit that's all." I felt Joey take my hand in his. I was silent for the rest of the ride to the headquarters of Johnny Wright's Production Company. JC let me out, but put his hand on Joey's shoulder when Joey tried getting out with me.
"Joey. Johnny wants to talk to Dale alone. He'll have Dale driven out to your house when they're done."
Joey looked confused for a second, then pissed. "JC, let me through. I won't let Johnny tire Dale out. He's still not fully recovered for God's sake! Don't make me go through you bud, you won't like it." I had to intervene before it got ugly. I walked to Joey and put my hands on his shoulders.
"I'll be over in a little bit Joe. I seriously doubt that Johnny is going cut me open or anything. I'll have a nice talk with him, then I'm all yours for the night." He was still glaring at JC but he broke into a smile when I said that.
"All night?" He wiggled his eyebrows at me and looked like a cat that had swallowed a canary.
I gave his a hand a squeeze. "All night. Now you guys scoot. I'll be at Joey's soon I guess. Oh do me a favor Joey, take my bags in for me? Thanks." They pulled away from the building. I turned and looked at the door. I went in and took the elevator up to the 9th floor. I knew where I was going this time, so had no excuse if I was late. I walked in to the office and told the receptionist who I was.
"Go on in Mister Wright, Johnny's expecting you." I heard her pick up the phone as I walked over to the door. I knocked, and heard someone on the other side call to come in.
"Johnny? I was told that we had something to talk about."
"Come on in Dale, have a seat. I'll be right with you." He was on the phone with someone, so I sat there and stared at my hands for a few minutes. Finally, he said goodbye and hung up. He sat back in the chair, and just looked at me for a second.
"So Dale, I understand you're feeling much better now. How're things going?"
"I'm fine Johnny. From what I heard you were having some issues about stuff though. So, what can I do for you?"
"Direct and to the point...I knew I liked you Dale."
"Do you Johnny? The impression I've been getting is that you aren't exactly happy. What's on your mind? I'm not a shy man by any means, so out with it."
"Okay Dale. What are your intentions towards Joe?"
I laughed at the question. "Fair enough. Are you asking as his manager or as his friend?" I could tell I struck a nerve because he sat a little straighter.
"Both." "My first concern is for the group that I manage. Right behind that is my concern for a group of five young men who trust me and look to me for guidance. I don't want to fail them like their other management did."
"Oh my god, what do you think? I'm going to hold a press conference and reveal that I'm Joey's lover? Give me a little credit for having a clue please!" I got up and went to look out the window. "You must know that I would never say or do anything that would hurt Joey or jeopardize the group."
He sat back in the chair and steepled his fingers. "So what are your intentions?"
"Quite frankly that's none of your damn business Johnny. I take offense that you even feel the need to ask. Joey and I are both adults. He's smart and intelligent, and more than capable of making his own decision. Do you think that he would jeopardize what he and the guys have worked so hard to build? God, how well do you know these guys?"
"Dale, would you be willing to sign a contract stipulating that you will do nothing to jeopardize the group?"
"WHAT? Okay, this meeting is over."
I got up and left without a backward glance. I stormed out the front door and hailed a cab. As we pulled away I realized I couldn't remember Joey's address. FUCK. Fortunately I had Lance's number in my cell's phone list. I pulled it up and hit "CALL". It rang four times, and I was convinced that he'd turned it off.
"Hello?"
"Lance! It's Dale. What's Joey's address?"
"The driver should..."
"I left the meeting, so there is no driver."
"What happened?"
"Look, I really don't want to get into it right now. I'm in a taxi. What's the address so I can tell the driver?" He gave me the address, and I passed it on to the driver. As he turned around and headed off in the right direction, I got back on the phone.
"So, how are you doing James? Are you at home?"
"No, we're all over at Joey's. He's still pissed that he couldn't go to the meeting with you." I let out a laugh when I heard that.
"It's probably a good thing he didn't. It did not go well. It wouldn't surprise me if Johnny tells Joey to break it off with me." I noticed the driver looking at me in the rearview mirror. "What the fuck are you looking at??!!" His eyes snapped back to the road. I heard Lance saying something in the phone. "What?"
"Geez Dale, you don't have to snap my head off. We'll see you when you get here." He hung up the phone. Perfect, just perfect. I rode the next twenty minutes in silence. We pulled up in front of the house I remember Joey giving me the tour of. God that seemed so long ago! I paid the driver, and apologized for snapping at him. I walked up to the door and knocked. It swung open and a whirling dervish swooped me up.
"AW FUCK. Be careful!" I glared at Joey. His smile fell.
"I'm sorry babe. I just missed you. What happened? Lance said you were upset about something."
"I don't want to talk about it right now. Can I go lie down?"
"Um. Sure?" He took me and showed me to his room. I stripped and crawled into bed. I know that it was rude, but I didn't want to deal with anyone right now, especially the guys. I took one of my pain pills, and just lay there. Joey's phone started ringing. I could hear someone answer it, but couldn't hear what was said.
Within seconds whoever it was was getting angrier. I could tell because the volume began to increase. Finally whoever it was seemed to be screaming into the phone. I heard a `goodbye'and then nothing for a moment or two. Then, the arguing started.
I lay there for ten minutes listening to a bunch of yelling downstairs. Finally, I couldn't deal with it anymore. I got dressed again, and went to see what the commotion was about.
I went into the living room and saw five friends screaming at each other. Joey was yelling at JC and Justin and Lance. Chris seemed to be agreeing with whatever Joey was saying. They were so caught up in it they didn't even see or hear me come in. Finally I had to make myself known.
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!"
Five heads snapped around to look at me. JC was pissed.
"What the hell did you say to Johnny Dale? He just called and asked Joey to not see you for the sake of the group."
"SHUT UP JOSH, I'M NOT LOSING DALE!" Joey came over to me and grabbed my hand in his. He was squeezing it so hard that it hurt.
"Okay fine guys. You want to know what Johnny said?" I told the five of them exactly what my discussion with Johnny Wright had been like. When I finished and fell silent, they were all still glaring at me. Finally Joey spoke.
"I'll kill him." He started to get up from the couch, I pushed him back down.
"No you will not. Think about it honey. He's just concerned. Look at it from his side of things. If a member of N'Sync was revealed to be gay your fan base would be shattered. You'd lose record sales and contracts, endorsements. This is America don't forget. This is the place where Matthew Shepard was left to die on a fence and it's perfectly normal for people to get fag-bashed." JC stood up abruptly and came up to me. He grabbed my shoulder.
"Dale, can I talk to you alone?"
I glared at his hand then at him. "Take your hands off me Josh or you won't like what I do."
"Dale come on..." He got no further as I grabbed his wrist and wrenched his arm off of me. Justin and Chris gasped as I pulled Josh's arm behind him and forced him down to his knees. Just tried squirming out of my grip, but I held on.
"What the fuck? Dale!!!"
"This is called two years of self-defense training. If you continue pushing it you'll end up with a mouthful of knuckles. Now if you don't mind, leave me alone." I released his arm, and he fell forward onto the floor. He was up like a shot, rubbing his arm. He made a lunge towards me, and I just stood my ground. Suddenly there were people between us. Joey was in front of me, with his hand on my chest. Justin and Chris were in front of JC.
"Get out of my house." They all looked at Joey. He had his hands clenched. "We don't leave until tomorrow. If you're lucky, I'll be on the bus. Now I'm telling you. Get out of my house before I call the cops and have you removed. I mean all four of you. I love you guys, but right now I don't want to look at the four of you." Without another word, he left the room. I could hear him going upstairs, and his door slammed shut.
The guys left shortly after that. I could tell that Chris and Lance wanted to stick around. I stopped them before they left.
"Lance, I just wanted to apologize for snapping at you on the phone earlier.
Today's just been a really trying day." I pulled him into a hug, He told me to not worry about it. Chris chimed in with a question.
"Dale, were you really going to hurt JC? Could you hurt someone deliberately like that?"
I had to think about my answer... "Was I going to hurt him? No. I just felt backed into a corner and I've never dealt well when I feel like that. Could I hurt someone? Well...no. I made a conscious decision when I was younger that I could never let myself get out of control like that. I've always been bigger than the other kids have. I didn't want to become a bully or something."
"What do you plan on doing about Johnny Dale?"
I just smiled. "I don't care about him truth be told James. I love Joey. And for the first time, I can honestly say that he loves me. I'll support him in anything that he decides. I would hate to see him give up performing because I see the fire in his eyes when he's on stage. But it's his decision. This isn't Johnny's decision. It's Joey's. Now you guys better go, I have to make sure he hasn't taken out a contract on Johnny." I smiled to take any sting out of my words, hugged them both, and kicked them out. I headed up to his room.
KNOCKKNOCKKNOCK
"It's me."
I entered the room, and saw him lying on the bed staring at the ceiling. There were tears streaming down his face. I sat next to him and took him in my arms. I held him and rocked gently back and forth. I kissed the tears off of his face, and then his mouth. Our kisses became more intense, and suddenly we were tearing each other's clothes off. Within moments we were fucking. This wasn't making love, this was pure animal lust. As Joey took me, I raked his back with my fingernails. Our climaxes were intense, and our moans and shouts matched the intensity.
We curled up in each other's arms once we were done. As Joey was nodding off, I had to say something to lighten his mood.
"God honey, I'm sleeping in the wet spot."
He just looked at me for a second. Then a smile cracked on his dour face. Then he chuckled. Finally full- throated laughter came out of him. He kissed me and kept on laughing. "I love you so much Dale." He snuggled into my arms, and we nodded off for a nap.
Elsewhere, the four other members of N'Sync got out of a car and headed into a building. They didn't talk as they rode the elevator up. They walked in to the office and sat down in front of the desk.
"We were right."
Johnny Wright sat back and looked at the four men in front of him. "Yes, you guys were right. He's not in it to hurt Joey. He really does love him. I just wish you hadn't made me be `Big Tough Manager."
Lance spoke up. "I know Johnny. But we couldn't let Joey or Dale know what was going on. Thanks for playing along. I have to admit Dale's handling of the situation in Baltimore was good. Apparently the press was hounding him and he held up like a trooper."
The guys began chiming in with their opinions. JC said that he didn't appreciate getting stuck with playing punching bag. Chris laughed and said that it was fun to watch though. Finally Johnny broke in.
"So what's the next step."
Chris and Lance chimed in at the same time. "Wedding." They looked at each other and Justin raised his hand. "I get to be Joey's best man!" He smiled at the other guys.
I woke up to the sound of a voice calling out downstairs. I nudged Joey awake and told him that someone was in the house. We were just starting to wake up when his bedroom door opened and his brother walked in.
Oops. This could be bad. Joey just smiled at his brother. "Hey Steve, whassup?"