LIKE A CHILD by Gwen
Noah sat on Shannon's lap all through the sound check at Madison Square Garden. She was amazed at how incredibly huge the arena was and that in a few hours it would be packed with screaming girls in every seat. She had always been proud to say that JC was her cousin, but at that moment, she wanted to burst with pride. She looked down at the little boy in her lap and rested her chin on the top of his forehead. One day, he'd be just as proud of his father. "Okay, guys, three hours. Go hang out backstage and try to get mentally prepared," Johnny told them, as soon as the sound check was over. "Hi, Daddy!" Noah waved, as Lance jumped down from the side of the stage and walked over to where Shannon and Noah were sitting. "Hey, buddy," Lance opened his arms and Noah scrambled out of Shannon's arms and ran to his father. "Were you good while Daddy was singing?" "Uh huh," Noah nodded his head up and down. "Hope we didn't bore you," Lance looked over at Shannon. "Not at all, that was wonderful," Shannon complimented him. "You should've seen Noah every time you came up close to the stage. He was squealing and waving to you and when you'd wave back he got the biggest grin on his face." "Hey, he's my number one fan. Isn't that right, Noah James?" Lance squeezed Noah and kissed the top of his head. "Shannon, I need to ask you a question. It's actually more like a big favor." Shannon shrugged, "Okay," hoping she hadn't done anything while with Noah that Lance had disapproved of. "Well," he cleared his throat and sat down next to Shannon, bouncing Noah on his lap. "You've been such a help to me by watching Noah that I was wondering if you'd like to be hired full time on the tour as Noah's babysitter. I would pay you and everything and give you days off and whatever else you wanted. But, he adores you and I know that Lonnie really doesn't have the time like he thought he would. So, what do you say?" Shannon's face lit up with a big grin. "I say yes," she replied, without even hesitating. "I would love to be Noah's babysitter." Lance sighed a breath of relief, "You don't know what a help it is to know that someone will be able to watch him when I can't." "I'm honored that you chose me," Shannon replied, looking at Noah. "Hey, Noah buddy, guess what?" "What Shanny?" Noah crawled into her lap. "I'm gonna be your new babysitter. Is that okay?" Shannon rested her forehead against his. "Yay!" Noah squealed, throwing his arms around Shannon's neck and squeezing tightly. Lance smiled at the scene in front of him. At least something in his life was starting to make sense.... ~*~ The concert had been, as usual, a hug blowout and not one fan left without a smile attached to their face. Noah sat with Shannon towards the middle of the auditorium along with Joey's relatives and Chris's mother. As soon as the guys set foot on the stage, Noah began to squeal with glee, waving at his father and thinking every time Lance waved or winked at a fan, he was really waving to Noah. Shannon had seen NSYNC in concert only one time before and that had been years ago when they were still doing Wal-Mart tours. She hadn't expected such a professional and unbelievable event at that. JC had made her proud on many occasions, but this had to have been the proudest she'd been of her cousin. "That was awesome, Jace!" Shannon ran to meet her cousin, Noah attached to her hip. "Thanks, Shan. I'm glad you liked it," JC smiled and hugged his cousin. "Sorry, I'm all sweaty," he apologized, wiping his face on the sleeve of her shirt. "Oh, you are so dead!" Shannon went to hit his arm, but Lance came out of his dressing room and Noah jumped out of her arms, scrambling to get to his father. "Daddy!" Noah called, running into Lance's open arms. "Hey, buddy!" Lance scooped Noah up and threw him into the air, making him giggle with delight. "Daddy, I saw you singing!" Noah informed Lance. "I waved!" "You did? Did you like it?" Lance kissed Noah's cheek, knowing what his reply would be. "Yes!" Noah nodded, eagerly. "Me and Shanny watched." Lance turned to Shannon, "Are you sure you don't mind watching him tonight while I go out?" Shannon shook her head, "Hey, you hired me, didn't you?" Lance set Noah down and they walked over to where Shannon was standing. "Besides, you need to go out and have a good time. Get your mind off things." "She's right, Lance," Justin agreed, walking up behind him with a girl on each arm. "We're all going to this new club in SoHo. See ya there!" Justin waved, as he led the two girls away. "Damn, if Brit were here, she'd have a fit," JC muttered, shaking his head. "Anyway, Lance you and I better get going if we're gonna get to the club before all the fans do." Lance nodded and then bent down to Noah's level. "Now, listen to Daddy, Noah. It's way past your bedtime so when you get back to the hotel, you have to go night night okay?" " 'Kay," Noah replied, putting his little hands on Lance's arm. "Shanny go wif me?" "Yes. Shanny's gonna go with you. I'll see you tomorrow morning as soon as you wake up." "Sleep wif me, Daddy?" Noah made his baby face and Lance cracked a grin. "You know I will, buddy," Lance put his arms around Noah and squeezed him hard. "Be good for Shanny, okay?" Noah went back to Shannon and she picked him up. "I should be back around two. I can't party all night like I used to. Noah takes all my energy." He winked at Shannon and then kissed Noah once more before he followed JC to the limo.... ~*~ "I can't believe you're not out clubbing with your cousins," Belle told Joey, after he'd called her from his aunt's house in Brooklyn that night. "Hey, I told you, I have responsibilities now and that's you and Alyson. Besides, I haven't seen my family in a while." "You know you're dying to be in a club dancing your butt off." Belle teased. "Well, maybe I am a little envious of everyone else, but I'd rather be dancing my butt off with my wife." "You only have a few more months and then Aly and I will join you. I promise." "By the way, Lance went out tonight." "He did? Did Noah go with him?" "Nope, Noah now has a full-time babysitter." "Excuse me?!" "C's cousin, Shannon came to visit and her and Noah hit it off. She's now his full-time babysitter. So, Lance went out tonight with Justin and JC and Chris. I think it'll do him some good. He's been so mopey on this tour." "I just hope he's careful," Belle sighed, getting up and going into Alyson's room to check on her. "He hasn't been with anyone since Alli died. I just don't want him to get into trouble." "Honey, I wouldn't worry about him. Lance will be fine...." ~*~ The club that the guys had gone to that night had been an old pool hall and it was two stories high. There was techno music on the second floor and hip hop on the first. Lance scoped out everything from the bar. Girls were already hitting on JC, and Justin was with two different girls than the ones he's had with him backstage. Chris had immediately headed upstairs and would occasionally come back down to get another beer. "Lance, why aren't you dancing man?" JC called from the side of the dance floor. Lance shrugged and took a sip of his martini. "I will in a minute," he smiled. He finished his drink off and ordered a Budweiser. "What are you doing up here all alone?" purred a female voice. Lance looked over to see a woman about his age, maybe a little older, sitting next to him with a glass of wine in her hand. She wore a tight pink halter top and a black leather skirt that was so short, Lance could already tell she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Her black hair covered part of her face and she would occasionally flip it over her shoulder, while sipping her drink. "I'm just watching," Lance replied, knowing exactly what this woman was after. "Must be kinda boring up here all alone," she reached over and squeezed his thigh, startling him. "Oh, I'm sorry. Am I being too forward?" she batted her eyelashes and ran her finger around the rim of her glass. "I'm Samantha, by the way." "Lance." Lance cleared his throat, taking another sip of his beer and trying his best not to make eye contact with her. "You did great tonight, Lance," she squeezed his thigh again, this time moving her hand closer to the middle of his legs. "C'mon, why don't we go dance?" "I'd rather finish my beer," Lance replied. "Fine, have it your way," Samantha shrugged and leaned against the side of the bar, her breasts almost falling out of her top. An hour later, Lance had finished off his Budweiser, plus four other mixed drinks and was well on his way to drunken oblivion. Samantha hadn't left his side. She was drunk, too, and from what JC could see, he was having a grand old time shooting the breeze with her. "So, Lance, what are you doing tonight?" Samantha whispered into his ear. Her hand rested on his leg and she would occasionally drag her nails up and down his thigh. Lance had lost all sense of reality. He'd forgotten that he'd tried to brush this woman off an hour ago, but now, he was so intoxicated, she actually seemed appealing to him. And he'd gone without sex for so long. He could feel his pants tighten beneath him and knew exactly what he'd be doing tonight. "Why don't you come back to my room," he replied, as Samantha nibbled at his ear. "I like that idea," she cooed, hopping off the barstool. Lance got down and felt the room spinning, but latched onto Samantha's arm and somehow made it out of the club. She hailed a taxi for them and Lance could barely remember the name of the hotel they were staying at, but somehow slurred the destination to the cabby..... ~*~ Noah slept peacefully next to Shannon, occasionally grunting and rolling over, his thumb stuck in his mouth. She hadn't been able to sleep and she didn't know why. After a day like she'd had, she should've been exhausted, but here she was, wide awake, and watching The Pelican Brief on PayPerView. It was nearing two in the morning and she was surprised Lance wasn't already back. Of course, he hadn't been out in a long time, so he was probably making up for it. Shannon leaned against the pillows and sighed, trying to stay interested in the movie she'd ordered. She draped her arm across Noah's back and gently rubbed it, hearing his rhythmic breathing beneath her. At that moment, Noah grunted again and turned over, this time slowly sitting up and looking around, disoriented about where he was. "Noah, sweetie, are you okay?" Shannon turned her attention away from the TV and put her arms around the little boy, who was now starting to cry. "Mommy?" he looked around, tears streaming down his tired little face. "Mommy. I want Mommy!" his soft cries turned into wails within seconds and all Shannon could do was hold him against her while he cried it all out. It was breaking her heart and she wished desperately that Lance would pop in at any minute to comfort his son. 'Where are you, Lance? Your little boy needs you right now more than ever...' ~*~ "You're amazing," Samantha purred, as she climbed on top of Lance. "You know what I want you to do, baby?" Lance closed his eyes and let out a faint, "What?" "Please me all night long and I promise I'll return the favor," she rolled over and pulled Lance on top of her. Lance was beginning to regain consciousness, but he let his hands wander down her body, closing his eyes and picturing Alli there instead of this slut who was underneath him. "I can do that," he leaned down, sucking on her neck and grabbing her thigh, swinging it around his waist. She had managed to undress herself and him in the process before jumping into his bed the minute they walked in the door. Lance had never seen any woman move this fast before in his life. Samantha clung to him as he slid inside of her, her nails digging into his back. Lance groaned as he began to push himself deeper into her. This was so wrong. He knew that. But he'd gone without sex for so long that he felt he almost owed it to himself. But, not with this whore. Lance didn't know where he managed to get the strength, but he got off Samantha and frantically began to throw her all of her clothes. "What the hell are you doing?" Samantha demanded, sitting straight up in bed. "I can't do this," Lance shook his head. "I have a little boy that needs me and I've got to get back to him." "You bastard! I can't believe you'd do this to me!" Samantha screamed. Lance quickly threw on his boxers and a wife beater and shook his head at her. "I'm sorry. Can you please leave?" he narrowed his eyes at her and Samantha got off the bed and quickly got dressed again. She walked over to Lance and slapped him across the face, "I knew you were nothing but a tease!" Lance winced and turned away, "Just leave, okay? We'll pretend like it never happened." "It never did!" Samantha muttered, slamming the door on her way out. Lance sat down on the edge of his bed, resting his head in his hands and letting out a huge sigh, "What the hell was I just doing?" he asked aloud. "How could I have done that?" He slowly stood up and grabbed his key, making his way down to Shannon's room.... ~*~ Shannon had managed to get Noah back to sleep by singing to him. He had cried so hard that he had started to cough and Shannon silently prayed that singing would do the trick. She looked down at him, cradled in her lap, his cheeks still very much tearstained. 'God, Lance, please come back.' As if on cue, there was a knock at her door. She slowly got up from the bed and, with Noah in her arms, answered the door. She smiled when she saw Lance on the other end, but her smile quickly faded when she saw how he was dressed and the lipstick smears on his face. It was no secret where he'd just been. Or what had happened....
Incomplete
Story Tags: daddyl lance
