***
Samantha was wandering around backstage waiting for Lance and the rest of the guys to finish the sound check. She had some FreeLance business to discuss with Lance before the show tonight. As she roamed the hollow halls of the venue making her way back to the toy room she bumped into Johnny.
"Hey Samantha, I see you came back from Vegas in one piece," he joked with her.
"Yep, all my digits in tact," she answered while playfully wiggling her fingers and toes as the two of them sat down on one of the couches to relax for a moment. "And while I'm thinking about it, I just wanted to say thank you again for giving Jen a chance."
"Don't mention it," Johnny said waving his hand at her. "She is gonna be a great asset to me, I can already tell. I should be thanking you."
"Well, I'm glad. What exactly is her job title anyway?"
"Uh, I'm not sure yet to tell you the truth. Right now I'm just kind of getting her into everything. She's technically one of my assistants I guess but she'll be helping wherever I need her, sort of like a catch all position," he explained.
"Ah, I know the feeling," Sam said chuckling.
"Speaking of your boss, how are things going with you two?" Johnny paused, his voice filled with fatherly concern. "I sensed some...tension between you before you left. Just tell me if it's none of my business, but Lance had filled me in on a little bit of what was going on..." he trailed off.
"No, it's okay really. Lance and I are perfectly fine. We both know that we're better off just being friends, even if it took me a little longer to realize that." Sam was getting so used to telling everyone this that she almost forgot that it wasn't the truth. "Which I am sure you agree with also."
"What do you mean by that?" he asked surprised.
"I know that, as stupid as it is, it's better for the guys' image with a lot of the fans if they're 'single and ready to mingle'."
"Sadly, yes that is true, but ultimately I just want them to be happy and I would never stand in the way if you two wanted to be together," he said smiling warmly at her as he continued. "In fact, if Lance is half as smart as I think he is, he'll snatch you up before somebody else does."
"Would you please tell him that?" Jen asked walking into the room.
"Okay you two just stop it, we're friends, that's it. I don't want to hear another word about it," Sam said looking back and forth between the two of them. Before they could argue with her Justin appeared in the room, his headset and in-ear monitors hanging around his neck.
"There you are, come on, we need you," he said grabbing onto Samantha and basically lifting her over the couch before walking out of the room and pulling her down the hallway.
"What was that all about?" Jen asked Johnny, obviously confused.
"I have no idea, but I think we better go find out," he said as the two of them took off towards the stage.
"Alright Justin, what is your big solution?" Chris asked sarcastically as he returned to the stage with Sam. "I don't care what you say, we're never gonna clean up this step."
"Sami is."
"What?" his fellow groupmates asked along with Sam.
Justin looked at them and sighed before speaking. "Don't you remember?" Everyone stood motionless as Sam spoke up.
"Oh, I think I know what you're thinking about. That time in rehearsals right?" Justin nodded his head as they all started to remember the instance that Justin was referring to.
*****
It was two days before the opening show of the tour and the guys were doing non-stop run-throughs all day. Sam had been back at the hotel working with Diane earlier in the day and had only been at the venue for an hour or so, sitting off to the side of the stage observing the new dance routines. As the final cords of the song ended, Wade, their new choreographer, started speaking with the harsh tone that Sam had grown very tired of in the short time that she had been present. She knew that it was only his job, and that he meant well, and even the guys didn't seem to mind it, they just kept working tirelessly to attain perfection, but frankly, he was driving her insane. She wanted to knock him on his ass at this point and yell at him for speaking to 'her boys' like that. Seeing the frustration in their worn out faces as the five of them stood around mulling over their mistakes, she could not remain quiet any longer.
"Listen, I know I'm new around here and I apologize if this is totally unprofessional of me, but it's gotta be done," she said walking up and giving them all a quick, but firm hug.
"What was that for?" Lance asked smiling at her.
"Because you needed it. Now just take a deep breath, start from the top, and relax. You'll get it."
"How do you know? What if we never get it?" Chris teased while placing his hands on his hips.
"Well then your fans will still love you. Trust me I know," Sam said winking at Lance as she walked off the stage.
*****
"Do you really think that I had anything to do with you guys nailing your routines? It was just a little hug," Sam reasoned.
"Yes, but it must have been magic because after that we got it the first time," Justin said beaming.
"And more importantly, we remembered it," JC laughed. "So what do you say, can we get some sugar or what?"
"Gimme my lovins," Chris said with a gruff voice, his arms outstretched towards Sam.
"Eww, get away," she said giggling. "You guys are all sweaty."
"It didn't matter to you last time," Chris replied; now inching towards her.
"That was different, I liked you then."
"Hey!" Lance said as he swatted her on the butt with his towel. She raised an eyebrow at him and he smiled shyly. "Is the thought of hugging us really that bad?" he asked.
"Okay fine, if it'll make you babies stop crying," Sam said as she hugged Joey first, half expecting him to reject her. He had stood silent throughout the whole discussion, instead he embraced her and hugged back tightly, whispering thanks in her ear.
"Hey watch the hands," Chris kidded as he squeezed the air out of her.
"Hey man, save some for the rest of us," JC said tearing Sam away from him.
"They sure have become attached to her," Johnny commented to Jen as the two of them stood off to the side watching them.
"Yeah, some of them more than others," she said under her breath as she watched Justin and Sam embrace.
As Sam turned to Lance he smiled at her before wrapping her arms around her in a tight hug and she doing the same. They lingered for a moment, each enjoying the closeness of the other. He had nestled his face in the nape of her neck, inhaling the sweet fragrance of her perfume and the faint scent of shampoo in her hair. Sam could feel the heat of his breath on her skin, as she moved her hands up to his broad shoulders eventually resting one on the back of his neck and the other on his chest. Suddenly they both pulled away.
"There, now I expect you to be perfect," she said to the others after clearing her throat, her face flush with the heat of the moment that her and Lance had just shared. She turned and walked over to the side joining her friend and Johnny.
"You're very welcome," Justin said to Lance as they took their places waiting for the music to start. Lance just nodded his head in appreciation, he also blushing from the encounter with Samantha. The men went through the choreography that had been a little off for the past two months, and sure enough they executed it correctly on the first try, and again on the second. "See I told you!" Justin shouted at Sam while sticking his tongue out.
Sam just shrugged. "You are our good luck charm Sam, from now on you will be at every rehearsal, performance, tour, whatever," Johnny said chuckling as he walked away. "Back to work for us Jen."
"If I ever hear you say that you just want to be Lance's friend, and he just wants to be yours again, I will knock your ass into next week girl. Friends my foot, I ain't never seen that kind of hug between two pals," Jen scoffed at her friend before following Johnny.