“I cannot believe how friggen cold it was out there!  It’s the middle of summer!”  Joey leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs on top of the table in the lounge behind the stage of the stadium.

“And we have such skimpy outfits!  I was freezing!”  Chris replied in a high pitched girly voice, which wasn’t a far fetch from his already high voice.  He turned his head towards Joey, averting his eyes and attention for a moment from the TV screen and video game he was playing with Justin in front of him.  “It’s Maine Joey.  What did you expect?”

“Maine.”  Lance muttered under his breath, his eyes focused on some distant object that wasn’t really there.  He leaned forward on the table, almost hitting Joey’s crossed legs.  He rested his chin on his fists, lost in thought.  Maine.  Nicole lived here, last time he had actually heard anything from her.  Was she at the concert tonight? He wondered.  He shook his head.  Why should he expect her to be there?  She had probably all but forgotten about him.  It had been at least 7 years since they had any contact.  Although he thought about her almost every day, wondering where she was, and what she was doing, she probably had given up on him long ago.  He was the one who did the leaving in the beginning anyway.  Not that there was a romantic relationship to leave, but in truth Nicole had been the closest thing Lance had ever had to a romantic relationship and in his heart he knew he loved her.  Hell, he’d been in love with her since that first day in the principles’ office.  But, he was the one that had let her get away.  He was too afraid to take her on this crazy trip with him.  Afraid of what it might do to their relationship.  He knew she was strong enough to take it, but he was afraid he wasn’t.  He shook his head again, his eyes looking down at the table.  Boy, had he been so wrong.

The door to the stadium lounge opened and JC strolled in, leaving the door slightly open behind him.  “Guys, security told me we had to sit tight cuz they have a little issue.”

“DAMMIT!!”  Chris screamed from his sitting position on the floor.  All attention was turned to him.

Justin laughed loudly.  “That’s what you get for not paying attention old man!  I schooled you again!  I so rock at this game!”

Joey and JC rolled their eyes towards each other.

“What’s the big issue?”  Joey asked, more out of boredom than curiosity.

“Some little kid is apparently running around the stadium.  The mom is hysterical and they have all of security out looking for him.  They even borrowed our guards.”

Lance remained silent in thought, miles away.  Joey looked at him and then back at JC.

“Cool.  Hope they find him.”  He turned back to Lance.  “You okay man?”

Lance nodded, absent mindedly.  “Hmmm.  Just thinking about Maine.”

JC took a seat at the table, grabbing himself a water from a counter behind the table.  “My hometown.  Wish we actually had some time to get out and relax.”

Joey shook his head, standing up and stretching his arms above his head.  “Nah, gotta leave right after the concert tomorrow night.  Sucks don’t it?”

JC chuckled.  “Sometimes, but I wouldn’t give this up for the world.”

Joey smiled, walking over to the couch behind where Justin and Chris were sitting.  He took a seat, intent on watching the next Burnout match that he knew was going to happen once Justin stopped gloating.  Chris always took his bait.

JC grabbed a book from his bag in the corner of the room and sat back down on the table, engrossing himself in the story.

The door to the lounge squeaked as it opened slightly more.  Lance, who was closest to the door, was lost in thought and JC was lost in his book.  Neither took notice.

A small, blonde curly haired, figure slowly entered the room, his pudgy hands still on the door handle.  He looked around and smiled.  “Sync.” He whispered.  He let go of the enormous door and took a few more steps into the lounge, unnoticed.  He looked up at the table, spotting Lance.  His grin grew very wide and he started jumping up and down. 

JC noticed something out of the corner of his eye.  It was moving up and down.  He growled.  He hated being interrupted in the middle of a good book.  He closed the book slowly, turning his head in the direction of the moving something.  He froze.  “Looks like I found the little boy.”  He announced to no one in particular.

Mitchell backed up, feeling very shy now that someone had actually noticed him.  “Iss James.”  He whispered, sticking his thumb into his mouth and pointing in Lance’s direction.  He backed up, hitting the door handle with his head.  He started to cry, grabbing the back of his head quickly.  “Owee.  Ouchie.”  He sobbed.

JC quickly stood up, practically jumping towards the little boy at the door.  He placed his hand on the back of Mitchell’s head and rubbed it softly.  “You okay buddy?”

Mitchell’s crying grew louder, drawing the attention of Joey.  Joey glanced back over the couch.  “Dude, is that the lost little boy?”

JC nodded.  “Yea.  I’m pretty sure.”

“What’s he doin in here?  Why’s he crying?”  Joey stood up from the couch and walked towards the door.

“I left the door open a little, he must have wondered in.  And he hit his head on the door.  I think he’s a little scared.”  JC replied, trying to stop Mitchell’s crying.

“James!”  Mitchell cried.

Lance’s attention was immediately drawn toward the small voice, snapping him out of his trance.  “Whose that?”

Mitchell pulled his head away from JC’s hand and quickly ran from the door to the chair where Lance was sitting.  He grabbed onto his leg tightly, crying louder and trying to suck his thumb at the same time.  “Jamessss!”  he cried.  “Ouchie!!”  He laid his head against Lance’s leg.  Lance awkwardly placed his hand on the back of Mitchell’s head and rubbed it.

JC stood up from where he was kneeling on the floor and faced Lance, staring at him curiously.  Joey joined him.

“Lance…” JC’s voice was full of interest and confusion.  “Why does this little boy know you?”

Joey stared on, dumfounded.  “He certainly can’t be yours.”  Joey made a noise that sounded like something between a chuckle and a snort.  “We all know you haven’t ever been on a date.”

Lance looked up at Joey, irritated.  “Yes, thank you Joe.”  He looked back down at Mitchell who’s crying had almost subsided.  His head laid comfortably on Lance’s knee as he sucked his thumb, calming himself down.  “I have no idea, but maybe one of you should let security know we have him in here.  I’m sure his mother is looking for him.”

JC nodded, heading out the door and down to the security room.

Lance leaned down, taking Mitchell and placing him on his lap, trying to get a good look at him.  He faced Mitchell towards him.  Mitchell sniffled, wiping the tears off his cheek with his chubby arm.  Lance looked over Mitchell’s tiny face.  Nothing stood out.  He didn’t look familiar to Lance at all.  Lance then looked into his intense blue eyes.  His heart beat faster.  Those eyes looked so familiar.  He knew those eyes.  How did he know those eyes?  Before he realized what he was doing, his hand reached out to rub Mitchell’s cheek and move his curly blonde hair out of his eyes.

“What’s your name little guy?”  There was something so familiar now about this little boy.  Lance couldn’t put his finger on it, but he knew it had to do with his eyes.  As stupid as that sounded.

Mitchell sniffled again, taking his thumb out of his mouth.  “Mitchell.”  He sighed.  “An, an, you’re James.”  He nodded, smiling proudly.  “I know you.”

Lance smiled awkwardly.  “How do you know me?”  His mind was racing.

“Mommy.”  Mitchell stated matter-of-factly.