"You. Take. I. Go," Lance said, and handed JC a shopping bag. JC nodded, and smiled soothingly.

"I'll see you later."

"Bye, Lance," Chris said.

Lance left.

"No one likes me," Chris told JC solemnly.

"Now, that's not true," JC said as he took Chris indoors. "They just don't know you yet."

"It *is* true. Lance couldn't wait to get rid of me, and Joey was miserable yesterday, and J-J-Justin..." "You're just saying that 'cause you're stuck with me."

"Never."

"Really?" Chris asked, scrubbing at his eyes. "O-okay."

"Wanna show me what you got shopping?"

Chris smiled brilliantly. "Did you know they make Justin dolls?"

"*Really?*"

"Uh-huh. And for you guys too. But the Justin ones are cutest."

"Well, naturally," JC said, his eyes twinkling. "Justin's cutest."

"JC," Chris said, "you are a very disc-dis. Smart person."

"Let's go turn on MTV," JC said, "and you can finish telling me about shopping while I make some snacks."

Chris slipped a hand into JC's. "Can we do make-overs later?"

"Anything you want, sweetie."

"Can I have a cigarette?"

"*What?*"

"Alexa smokes."

"Alexa?"

"She's staying with Nick Carter - *you* know - from Backstreet. Only they had to go out last night, so she stayed with Joey 'n' me."

"Ah. *Alexa.*"

"Yeah. She's smokes, so it's gotta be cool."

"Why do you say that?"

"Duh. She's *14.*"

"Well," JC said, thinking quickly, "14-year-olds can do things that people who are 12 years and 27 days old can't."

"That's what Joey said."

"Joey's a smart guy."

"I guess. When I'm 14, can I smoke then?"

JC briefly considered the possibility of Chris turning 14. "Yes," he said. "Absolutely. I'll give you one of my own."

"I didn't know you smoke."

"I don't," JC said. "But I will by your 14th birthday."

"Okay," Chris said, and flopped down in front of the TV. "Glad that's settled."

"Weight of the world off your shoulders?"

"Shhh. O-Town's on."

"They can't sing," JC said.

"That's not the *point.* They're *cute*. Or at least, Ashley is."

"And you need me to be quiet so you can look at their cuteness?"

Chris glared at him. "You're *talking* over *Erik*."

"I thought it was Ashley that was cu-okay, okay. I'll be quiet."

"They finished already!"

"I'll..." JC cast around in his mind, desperate to make amends. "I'll take you out tomorrow, and get you anything you want?"

"Anything?"

"Uh-huh."

Chris hurled himself against JC and squeezed tightly. "You're the best babysitter *ever!*"

"Why," JC asked, laughing, "what do you want?"

Chris smiled. "Justin."
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