"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard, Chris!" JC blurted out the first thing that came to his mind when his friend had finished talking. "There is no way in hell Lance is ever going to fall for something like that! And making me the point guy to get him to that place is going to make him even more suspicious. He's figured out all of our schemes to surprise him on his birthday for the past four years, remember?"

"Stop being such a pessimist, JC. This plan is going to work because A) Lance has a good heart inside to go along with that stubborn brain of his and B) the two of you together are like fire and ice, you'll probably argue about something stupid the entire way there and he won't even remember that it's his birthday!" Chris responded. "Besides, JC, with all the corny stuff that he's pulled on all of us, don't you want to burn him royally?"

"I don't know, Chris," JC said, still resisting the idea. "There's going to be hell to pay if you guys don't have everything ready by the time we get there."

"Leave everything to us, JC. You just get that boy to this address by 8 p.m. tomorrow night. And I promise you Lance is going to have a birthday that he won't forget." Joey summed up, conveniently forgetting to mention to JC that it would also be a night that the older boy won't soon forget either.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

He tried to ignore the knocking at the door by just burrowing deeper underneath the blankets. He had told the others earlier in the day that he wasn't feeling too good, that he would just stay in bed the whole day to rest. And he was happily surprised when they had all agreed to leave him alone. "Consider it as a birthday present," Chris had said. Unfortunately, this incessant knocking at the door meant that his birthday present was not all it was cracked up to be. Maybe they'd go away if he didn't answer. And then he heard that voice, and he knew that this person would not go away. Slowly, he got up and unlocked the door, opening it just a sliver to stick his head outside to glare at the violator on the other side.

"What is it?" He said, trying to sound angry but coming off as pathetically weak. "I thought you guys were going to let me sleep today."

"I'm sorry, Lance. Something's come up at the last minute." JC said, calling on his best Mickey Mouse acting skills. "We just got a last minute request from the local Make a Wish Foundation." Upon hearing the name of the charity organization, Lance gave up completely, opening the door wide for JC to enter the room.

"Chicken Legs just called. Apparently there was some mix-up about today. This little girl is having her 10^th birthday party tonight and her folks had requested this wish a few months ago. Management agreed to the request but somebody screwed up and didn't put it on the schedule." JC explained as Lance collapsed back into bed.

"What do they want?" Lance mumbled into the pillow.

"Well, they want the two of us to make an appearance at her birthday party and sing happy birthday to her." JC answered.

"What? Why not all of us?" Lance asked again into the pillow.

"Her parents were told that it would be almost impossible to get all five of us, so they picked you and me. I guess we're their daughter's favorites." JC chuckled.

"How long is this going to take?" Lance asked as he turned around and sat up to face JC, telling JC that he had won the battle.

"Just a couple of hours. The party starts at 7:30 and we'll just pop in around 8, say hi to everyone, sing happy birthday, and then hightail it out of there. I promise you'll be back in that bed sleeping by 9:30 tonight." JC smiled, offering his hand out to the younger boy.

"Give me 15 minutes to shower and get dressed," Lance said as he took JC's hand and allowed himself to be pulled up by the older man.

"That's my country boy!" JC snorted as he left the room. "I'll have the limo waiting downstairs for us."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Ah, Monsieur Chasez, we've been expecting you." The restaurant owner said as the two young men entered the restaurant. Both guests had surprise written all over there faces. The limo driver had dropped them off at this cozy little French restaurant, a place that they both knew took months and months to get reservations. And the owner had greeted them outside the front door and ushered them into the foyer. The restaurant was completely empty, not another customer in sight. No birthday party. No ten-year-old girl, no Chris, Justin, or Joey either.

"There, there must be some mistake," Lance said. "We were told there was a birthday party for a little girl here tonight."

"Monsieur Bass, there is no mistake. Je suis Jacques Chirac, the owner of this establishment. Will the two of you follow me please?" The man said as he led them into the empty dining area. He sat them down at a table just in front of the fireplace, its fire bouncing off the crystal that decorated the table. "Your friends went through much trouble to set this up for the two of you tonight."

"Our friends?" JC asked, feeling the red creeping into his face. They had tricked him, they had completely tricked him. And he was more the fool for falling for it.

"Oui. Messieurs Kirkpatrick, Fatone, et Timberlake. They told me to make tonight the best birthday party that Monsieur Bass has ever had." The owner replied.

"Lance, I swear, I had no idea they'd do this," JC pleaded to the man sitting across from him. Those meddling weasels, how could they put him in such a position? "When I get my hands on those three –"

"It's okay, JC. It's okay," Lance laughed as he saw JC's reaction.

"Tout c'est d'accord?" The restaurant owner asked, not in the least bit worried that his guests might not even speak French.

"Oui, c'est d'accord," Lance answered, putting JC at ease. "I guess they finally got me on my birthday."

"Bien, tres bien." Jacques said as he waved his hand and two waiters came forward, one with the wine and one with the first course. "Bon anniversaire, Monsieur Bass, et bonne chance, Monsieur Chasez."

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

They knew they shouldn't do it, but they couldn’t help themselves. Having acted like two scheming Italian grandmothers playing matchmakers, Chris and Joey couldn't wait to see the fruits of their labor. Silently, but hardly able to contain themselves, they slowly pushed open the door to Lance's room. Just as they were about to get a full view of the bed, and more importantly who might be in the bed, the sudden dousing of ice water from above stopped the would-be Cupids in their tracks.

"Thanks for that cadeaux last night, guys," Lance said from underneath the covers. "JC and I had a really great time."

"Why you little runt," Chris said in between clattering teeth. Damn that water and ice was cold.

"Get out Chris. Get out Joe," JC said as he sat up in the bed, flashing the biggest smile in the world.