You Don’t Have To Be Alone

By: Foxy Lady

JC watched as the snow fell outside his window. He was home with his family at Christmas for the first time in years, and it was nice. He turned to watch his family decorate the Christmas tree and sighed. It had only been twelve hours since he had left his four friends for their holiday break, but he already missed them. Especially Lance.

Why couldn't he tell Lance how he felt for him. Oh yeah, he knew why? Cause Lance was straight. Cause Lance could never see him that way. Yep, that was it.

JC moved over to the tree and placed a few ornarments on it before sighing again. He was happy to be home, but he missed something. He missed Lance. Over the last few months they had gotten closer. They were best friends. With Brianna taking all of Joey's time, Lance had come to him when he had needed to talk. It hadn't taken long for JC's feelings of friendship to develop to something more.

He put one last ornament on the tree and kissed his mother on the cheek before making his way upstairs. He entered his room, and flung himself on the bed. Before these feelings for Lance, JC had never thought about himself as being into guys. Of course he could look at a man and think he was good looking, but all guys did that from time to time. Then one day it had hit him. He was falling in love with Lance. His best friend. Someone who wasn't even gay. JC punched the pillow next to his head. He was being stupid.

He could have any girl he wanted. He had had a girlfriend. Someone he had thought he had wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but he had opened his big mouth and told her about his feelings toward Lance. She had slapped him, and then stomped out of the room. That being the last he had seen of her. After one last punch of his pillow, JC let himself fall asleep.

He dreamt that he and Lance were spending Christmas together. Building snowmen and drinking hot chocolate in front of the fire. Just as he was about to kiss Lance a ringing noise intruded into his dream. He mumbled as the ringing continued. He opened one eye, and noticed the light on his cell phone flashing. He reached out and grabbed it answering it. "Hey," he mumbled.

"Hey, C. Did I wake you?"

JC sat up in bed rubbing his eyes. "Yeah, I was asleep. What's up, Chris?"

"Just called to see how you were doing."

"I'm doing fine."

"Really? Talked to Lance today?"

"No," JC said with a sigh.

"Why don't you just tell him already C?"

JC stood up and walked over to his window. Chris couldn't know. "What are you talking about Chris?"

"You are in love with Lance."

JC shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are. and I'll tell you something else."

"What?"

"He just might feel the same, but you'll never know unless you talk to him."

"Trust me I know. Lance is not gay. He would have told us."

"You didn't, JC."

"I'm not..."

"Listen, I have to go. Merry Christmas."

JC heard the phone line go dead, looked at the phone in his hand. He shrugged his shoulders as he searched through his phone's address book. Selecting a number, he waited as the call was connected. After a few moments, the phone was answered.

"Happy Holidays."

"Happy Holidays to you too, Stacy. Lance around?"

"Hmm. Hi, JC. No. He isn't. He's not here."

"Well, I can call him back later. When will he be home?"

"JC, he isn't coming here for Christmas," she whispered.

That's strange. "Why not? He left for there this morning."

"I can't say. He just won't be spending very many more holidays here. I have to go, JC."

JC once again heard the phone click in his head as the call ended abruptly. JC sighed, and decided to make one last phone call. He dialed the number quickly knowing it by heart. He waited as the phone ring as he tapped his foot on the floor. After five rings, he was about to hang up when the phone was answered.

"Hello."

"Hey, Lance. How you doing?"

"Fine. Trip home was good."

"How are your parents?"

"They are fine, JC. Listen I gotta go help mom. Talk to you later."

"Sure," JC said, but the line was already dead. Why had Lance lied to him? JC knew that he wasn't at home with his family. He flipped his phone shut, and walked over to his window. Looking out he thought silently for a few minutes before making one more final phone call. When he was done, he walked over to his closet, and pulled out the duffle bag he had unpacked only hours earlier. He began placing his clothes back into it, and zipped it once it was full.

He would find out why Lance had lied to him. He would confess how he felt about him face to face, and he would do it as soon as he got to Mississippi.

A few hours later, JC's flight landed in Jackson. He had been lucky to get out of Chicago before it began to snow. He rented a car, and began the drive to Lance's. He knew if Lance wasn't at home with his family, he was at his own house alone. No one should be alone at Christmas especially him.

He pulled into Lance's driveway and parked the car. He blew into his hands trying to warm them. Even though he was inside the car, he could feel the cold outside, and it made him shiver. Rubbing his hands together for a brief moment, he looked towards the house seeing the lights on through the downstairs window. He exited the car and ran up the driveway to Lance's front door. He was about to raise his hand to knock, but changed his mind. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out his keyring looking for the key he knew he had to Lance's house. He found it quickly unlocking the door and opened it.

He walked through the entryway looking for any sign of Lance. As he stepped further inside the house, he could hear Christmas music playing. Walking towards the noise, he stopped in the doorway. There was Lance. On the couch sound asleep. JC walked into the living room trying to be quiet so he wouldn't wake Lance. He stopped when he reached the front of the couch. He lowered himself to the floor, and sat in front of Lance with his back to the fire Lance had built in the fireplace.

JC watched as his friend slept. He looked so sad even in his sleep. JC glanced down next to the couch and spied an empty glass. He sighed softly wondering what had upset Lance so much on this Christmas Eve to drive him to drink himself to sleep. JC leaned closer. He wanted to have Lance wake up, but he didn't have the heart to wake him. He wanted to kiss him awake. Have Lance tell him what had happened. Instead, JC lowered himself back down to the floor leaning against the couch. He watched as the lights on the Christmas tree flashed on and off until his eyes began to droop and he too fell asleep.

JC dreamt of telling Lance about how he felt. Dreamt that Lance felt the same. Dreamt of finally kissing the man he had grown to love after so long.

In his slumber, he saw Lance place his hand on his shoulder. He mumbled as Lance shook him.

"Jayce, wake up."

JC mumbled again batting Lance's hand away.

"Josh, I said to wake up."

JC finally let his eyes flutter open and he smiled up at the man leaning over him. "Hey."

"Hi," Lance said smiling back. "What are you doing here?"

"Hmm," JC said looking down at his hands.

"We just talked on the phone a few hours ago. You never mentioned coming out here." Lance leaned back on the couch.

JC moved to sit up on the couch next to him, but still said nothing.

"How did you know I would be here?"

JC sighed as he looked over at Lance. "I called your house. Talked to Stacy. Right before I called you, so I knew you weren't being honest with me. so I had to figure out why. Best way I knew how was to jump on a plane and come to you."

"What did Stacy say?" Lance asked as his fingers began to pick at the couch behind JC's head.

"Just that you weren't going to be there for the holiday." JC sighed again. "Lance why did you lie to me? We're friends, right. I tell you pretty much everything. Why didn't you tell me something was wrong?"

Lance shook his head as he laughed nervously. "Nothing is wrong, JC."

"Bullshit, Lance. If everything was alright, you would be at your family's home right now getting ready to sing carols and open your Christmas gifts. Tell me what happened."

Lance stood up and walked over to the bar. He poured himself a fresh glass before turning back to JC. "So you've told me pretty much everything. What haven't you told me, Jayce?"

JC stood up and took the glass out of Lance's hand. "Don't change the subject, Lance. You are my best friend, and I can't help you if you won't be honest with me."

Lance looked down at the glass in JC's hand before sighing. "I'll tell you what happened with me if you'll tell me one thing that you haven't told me. One of your biggest secrets. That way we'll be even."

JC placed the glass on the bar eyeing his friend carefully. He had told Lance everything. He had no secrets from Lance except for one, and it was the one that he wasn't ready to tell.

"Come on, Jayce. Whatever secrets you have they don't even compare to mine."

"You want to bet?" JC moved away from Lance stopping in front of the tree. He turned back towards Lance. "Fine, Lance. You want to know my one big secret. The one thing I have been hiding from you all these months. The one thing that might cause me to lose your friendship by telling you."

Lance leaned against the bar folding his arms across his chest. "Sure, JC. Go ahead."

JC moved back in front of Lance staring at him silently. He took a deep breath, and moved closer so that his mouth was level with Lance's ear. "I love you," he whispered.

JC heard Lance's gasp and took a step back. He watched his friend quietly waiting for his reaction. Lance caught his gaze for a moment before he reached down for his glass draining it in one swallow. "Well, I didn't see that one coming, Josh."

"Listen, if it bothers you just forget I said it. I should probably have kept my mouth shut."

Lance poured another glass. "So I guess it is my turn. Time for me to keep up my end of the deal."

JC shrug his shoulders. "Yeah."

Lance placed his glass on the bar, and moved closer just as JC had done just moments before. JC could feel Lance's breath on his neck. "I love you, too," Lance whispered as he pressed his lips to JC's neck.His lips moved along JC's neck up to his earlobe which he took in between his teeth and lightly nibbled. JC let out a groan as he his hands reached up and grabbed onto Lance's waist.

Lance moved his mouth across JC's cheek til his lips covered JC's. JC let out a small moan at the first contact. Kissing Lance was all the he dreamt it would be and more. As they continued to kiss, Lance turned JC so that his back was to the bar. He pressed against him as he settled his hands on the bar on other side of JC.

After a few minutes, he finally raised his head before lowering it onto JC's shoulder. He took a few deep breaths before he spoke. "Damn."

JC nodded in agreement. "That was..."

"Amazing." Lance took a step back and reached out his hand. JC took it, and they made their way back to the couch. Once they were sitting down, Lance laid his head on JC's chest. JC ran his fingers through Lance's hair. "Tell me what happened, Lance. Why are you spending Christmas alone?"

"I told my parents at Thanksgiving that I was gay. Mom and Dad didn't take it so well. Stacy was cool, but my parents had problems. Told me to change or leave. So I left."

JC closed his eyes and sighed. He didn't want to even think what his own family will say. "I'm sorry, baby."

"It's okay. You're here now. I was dreaming you would come, you know."

"I was dreaming too." JC let out a yawn. "It's late. Why don't we get some sleep?"

"Yeah, we can do that." Lance stood up.

"Why don't we sleep down here? In front of the fire and the tree. I used to love waking up under the tree on Christmas morning."

Lance smiled and reached behind JC's head for the blanket lying on the back of the couch. He motioned for JC to lay down on the floor and then covered him. He laid down next to him cuddling up to his side. JC wrapped his arm around Lance and closed his eyes. He knew from then on they would never need to be alone on Christmas or any other day ever again.

The End

Tell Foxy Lady what you thought of this story!