The Gift of Love... A New Tale of the Magi By Billy Burrew
Disclaimer: As usual, I would like to comment that this story is purely fictional and that it is no reflection on the sexual orientation of any of the members of NSYNC, Backstreet Boys or their estranged manager, Lou Pearlman. Please read this and enjoy it for what I intended it to be, an entertaining story. There is not a lot of sex, tho there are some adult situations. Please be forewarned. Remember, in the words of Peter Vincent, the Vampire Slayer in Fright Night, "Forewarned is Forearmed!" -Billy B
Chapter XVI: New Beginnings & The Gift of the Magi
As the guys departed the gate, they were met by hordes of screaming fans...and Lou Pearlman. Justin and Lance gasped as they looked up and saw the rotund man waiting for them, with a rather irate look in his eyes.
"Where the HELL have you boys been? You can't take off like that for a week! What were you think...",
Lou statement was cut off as Mike swung his right fist, connecting hard with Lou's jaw, and dropping him to the floor like a ton of bricks.
"They were singing at my lover's funeral. I believe the two of you met a little over a month ago....his name was Patrick. He was dying of AIDS, and you made light of it.", Mike said angrily.
"You...you...you hit me!!", Lou stammered as he looked up at the younger man, "I'll have you arrested!"
"Try it you sick molesting "boylover"", Mike said as Justin and Lance gasped, "I know all about you now. And let me tell you something. These boys are no longer your concern. Keep your distance from them. If you ever come near them again...we'll tell the world your dirty little secret. The next time you lay a hand on a younger guy will be when they touch you to stick you in your coffin. GOT IT?!?!"
Lou turned pale white and began to shake as he nodded.
"Get the hell out of here....you make me SICK!", Mike spat down at Lou.
Lou got up and quickly, turned and headed towards the exit of the airport.
Mike sighed and began to sob, "Man...I'll never say my old boss was a dick again....that man has him beaten out in spades."
JC chuckled as he put his arm around Mike for support.
Mike turned and looked at Justin and Lance, who were still shaken by the confrontation.
"Guys...I am sorry....that was un-cool. But I think he might have had an idea that you had told Patrick and me, I think he suspected from your newfound disobedience."
Lance nodded absently and Justin replied, "No problem Mike. I've never seen anyone take him on like that. You were madder than Patrick was when they went at it."
Mike's face went blank at the mention of his dead lover, then he began to smile. "I bet he'd rather have dealt with Patrick. It would have taken a lot more to get him to swing than it took me."
Chris and Joey laughed and JC and Justin grinned. Lance just got a sad look on his face and he picked up his bags and began to walk towards the exit.
Mike sighed as he watched the blond bass pass and he shook his head. 'Lance is taking this as badly as I am, I just had months of practice and experience covering it up."
Mike grabbed his bags and nodded to the other guys and then caught up with Lance.
"Hey Lance", Mike said as he put his free arm around Lance's shoulder, "I am here if you wanna talk. I promised Patrick I'd look out for you while JC and the other guys looked out for me. Patrick loved you a lot. That's why he wanted to try to get you to open up in your feelings for Justin so that you wouldn't be so upset when he died. It's hard to not love him....especially now that he's not here, huh?"
Lance looked over to Mike and saw for the first time in his eyes how much he missed Patrick.
"You were so lucky. You lived with him for years. I wish I could have known him longer.", Lance sighed.
'He was a good man. I'll miss all the little things he did that made me love him more every day I knew him...from the way he breathed when he slept, to the way he sang to me when he thought I was asleep.", Mike said as a tear fell down his cheek. "But he made me promise that I wouldn't remember him and get sad. He said that those were the kind of memories of him that he didn't want me to keep. He wanted me to let those ones go and hang onto the happy memories...like that day riding roller coasters...and how happy I remember him when he was with you guys at the wedding. He told me to keep those memories in my heart and remember him that way. He wanted me to take a chance on starting a new life with JC. I am going to honor him that way...I am going to pick up all the little pieces my heart broke into when he died and try to live again. I just hope I can."
Lance swallowed hard and sniffed. "I just need some time I guess."
The next few weeks were hectic as the guys finally banded together enough evidence of Lou's misappropriation of their funds from their albums. They announced that they were leaving their label and heading towards Jive Records. Lou was livid, but wisely kept his distance from the guys. He was, however, lying to the public, telling them how they were all on good terms and that everything would be resolved. A few days later, TransCon and Lou brought in the heavy guns, suing the boys for $150 million dollars. The boys lawyers strategically countersued, stating that they had been duped, used by this man who claimed to be their father figure, while all the time picking their pockets. Justin and Lance told the lawyers about the "other matter" between them and Lou, asking them to keep it secret, making it a last resort means of attacking Lou's credibility.
As the weeks past, Mike and JC grew closer, and Mike let JC know of his interest in slowly starting out in a relationship. JC was thrilled, having already fallen for the Mike as Patrick had foreseen. Lance, however, was a different matter entirely. Instead of moving on in his life as Mike was attempting to do, Lance's life stalled, depressed over the loss of his loved one. Justin tried to help break through to Lance, but Lance would put up walls and isolate himself. As the holidays neared, Lance retreated more and more into a shell, coming out to only to perform and talk publicly. On the evening of December 23rd, all the guys from NSYNC and BSB met at Lynn's house for a small dinner party before the guys headed to their homes for the holidays. JC and Mike sat together on the couch talking quietly when the door swung open and Lance walked in alone. Justin looked up and smiled at Lance, tho his smile was met with a blank expression.
Mike got up and walked over to Lance, smiling slightly as he saw the blond carried a guitar with him.
'I didn't know that you played guitar Lance.", Mike said as he led Lance into the living room and sat down beside him on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"I have been teaching myself a few songs.", Lance said quietly.
"Hmmm", Mike smiled, "Know any good christmas songs?"
"That is what I have been practicing.", Lance said with a small smile. "I was practicing some songs that Patrick told me he loved to hear at Christmas Time."
"Really?", Mike replied with a grin, "Which ones?"
"Country songs mostly..and traditional ones.", Lance shrugged.
"I remember his favorite song", Mike said as the smile fell away from his face, "It was called..."
"White Christmas Makes Me Blue by Randy Travis", Lance said, finishing Mikes sentence.
Mike nodded. "Will you play it for us. I missed hearing it this year."
"It won't sound very good if I sing it.", Lance said shyly
"With your deep voice, it'll sound beautiful.", Mike said softly
Lance nodded as tears formed in his eyes, and he picked up the guitar out of its case. The rest of the guys gathered around Lance and Lynn took a position behind her son, who stood staring intently at Lance.
Lance struck the first chords, a very sad sound and tears began to roll down both his and Mike's faces.
I sent out Season's Greetings to all our same old friends The tree is trimmed and in your favorite place I decked the boughs with holly built a snowman in the lane I sang jingle bells in a one horse open sleigh
But White Christmas makes me blue Every time I hear it played I think of you I remember all the good times we knew Now White Christmas makes me blue
I'm tryin to be happy I know you'd want me to Cause being sad at Christmastime ain't right I'm keeping the traditions wishing you were here On Christmas Eve I still sing Silent Night
But White Christmas makes me blue Every time I hear it played I think of you I remember all the good times we knew Now White Christmas makes me blue Oh...White Christmas makes me blue
As the sound of the last chord died away Mike sighed and pulled Lance into a huge hug. As they hugged the lights in the room began to dim slightly and the fire roared brightly. The guys looked over in time to see the light pulse and coalesce, spiraling and finally attaining the human form of their departed friend.
"That was so beautiful, Lance", Patrick said as he walked over to the sofa. Lance's eyes widened and he shook his head. "Thank you for playing my song."
"Patrick? Is that really you?", he whispered.
Patrick shook his head and leaned over, embracing Lance and Mike.
"How", Mike asked, "you died."
"Lance's Christmas wish was to see me...just once more. And...anything is possible at Christmas.", Patrick's spirit said with a smile. "The greater spirits have requested my assistance on Christmas Eve and so I was granted some time here with you all tonite, to make Lance's wish come true. You see...in life, I got to know all of you, and I knew there was a purpose behind it. This purpose is to help someone in your lives take a second look at life, and the choices that have been made. I have been given the opportunity to repay the debt I owed you all in life for helping me through my last days."
Lance's face was covered in tears as he looked up to Patrick. "You never woke up...I was there...you broke your promise...and faced death alone."
"Oh Lance", Patrick said as a tear fell from his eye, "I knew you were there, you holding my right hand, and Nicky there holding my left. I couldn't wake up to tell you how much I loved you before I died. I wanted to so bad, but I just couldn't get awake."
Lance began to sob, his small body racked with shakes. Patrick sat beside him and pulled his chin up to face him, "I love you still....you know...I'll never stop. But you promised me something too...", Patrick and Lance looked over at Justin who face was red and puffy. "Hey Curly...c'mere."
Justin smiled and walked over, sitting down between Lance and Patrick.
"...you promised me that you would give your love with Justin a chance. He loves you so much...and it hurts him to see you sad and in pain.", Patrick finished
"I love you, Lansten", Justin said quietly, "please don't shut me out."
Lance's closed his eyes for a second, and as he opened them and looked into Justin's eyes, he realized how much love Justin had for him down in his heart. Lance knew he was wrong in shutting out his friends and his hope for love with Justin because of Patrick's death, and knew now that his life would move forward and that he would be able to let go.
"I love you too, Justin", Lance said quietly, "I just never realized how much til now."
Patrick smiled at the two young men as they held each other and then he looked over at Mike and JC.
"Hey JC...is Mike keepin' ya straight?", Patrick grinned and the whole room burst into laughter as JC blushed.
"Nope", JC chuckled, still blushing furiously, "He's making me very happy tho. I love him...like you said I would."
Patrick smiled and nodded, "I am glad of it. Be true to each other and everything will be fine for you two."
Nick walked over to Patrick then and threw his arms around him, "I miss you so much....but I can feel that you're with me sometimes...ya know?"
Patrick smiled and kissed Nick lightly on the lips, "I am only as far away as your heart. And I keep an eye out on all of you."
"Speaking of that....Nice stick and move at the airport, Mike. Man....Lou never saw it comin'! You beat him like a rented mule! Whoo I was impressed. That wasn't one that I taught you, was it?"
Mike grinned and blushed scarlet as the guys began to chuckle then he rolled his eyes in his head, "I knew you wouldn't let that one go by. Yeah. You taught me that move. He.....got what he deserved."
"Well..", Patrick said under his breath, "He's gonna get more than that sooner than he knows."
The clock rang then and Patrick looked over, and sighed seeing the time.
"I am almost out of time, guys", Patrick said sadly, "time for the last dance."
Mike and JC smiled as Lance looked away from Justin and stared sadly at Patrick.
Patrick got up and waved his hands in the air, and a song began to play on the speakers. He then walked over to Justin and Lance.
"Curly, do you mind if I have Lance for one last dance?", Patrick asked quietly.
Justin smiled and nodded and Lance got up and began to slow dance with Patrick.
The lamp is burning low upon my table top Snow is softly falling The air is still in the silence of my room I hear your voice softly calling
If I could only have you near To breathe a sigh or two I would be happy just to hold the hands I love On this winters night with you
The smoke is rising in the shadows overhead My glass is almost empty I read again between the lines upon each page The words of love you send me
If I could know within my heart That you were lonely too I would be happy just to hold the hands I love On this winters night with you
The fire is dying...my lamp is growing dim The shades of night are lifting The morning light steals across my windowpane Where webs of snow are drifting
If I could only have you near To breathe a sigh or two I would be happy just to hold the hands I love On this winters night with you And to be once again with you
Lance swayed with Patrick and smiled as he realized Patrick was singing the song softly to him like Mike had said he used to do. As Patrick sang the last verse, Lance began to cry, realizing that Patrick's time to fulfill his wish was done and that it was time for him to leave. As the last strains of the song ended, Lance felt another set of arms circle his waist, and realized it was Justin. Lance then looked up, and saw Patrick's face stained with tears as his body began to dissolve.
"I'll always love you Lance. You and Justin take care of each other.", Patrick said and a smile came to his face. "See ya around you guys", Patrick said to the room and the guys smiled through their tears.
"Patrick....", Lance cried sadly as his light dissipated.
"No goodbye's Lance....I'll see ya around.", Patrick voice said and then he was gone.
Lance smiled and nodded his head, "See ya around Patrick."
-The End-
That's the end of The Gift of Love...but not of Patrick. The adventures of Patrick's ghost continues on in my next story...coming up soon. It's an 1999 adaptation of Dicken's Christmas Carol...called: an NSYNC Christmas Carol. (Guess who Scrooge is? LOL)
I hope you liked this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I will hopefully have the last song, called This Winter's Night from Sarah McLaughlin on my website to download in MP3 format for you all to listen to after you read the chapter.
My website address is:
http://www.geocities.com/billy_burrew
Feel free to email me with your questions and comments at: billy_burrew@yahoo.com