BEATS

by Karin

ATF Alternate Universe


THIRTEEN

Joe, Chris and JD left the building and got into a car that took them to another big building 15 minutes away. When the car stopped, all three men exited the car and headed for the building, Joe waved at the receptionist, who nodded and the men entered the elevator, Joe pushed the 3rd floor button.

"You sure you don't want to change careers?" Joe asked the question he had when they'd gotten into his car.

"Yes, sir. I'm sure," JD smiled, he wasn't ‘that' good.

"Okay, JD. Just to give you a bit of warning here, probably should have said something before, but Cosette gets a little carried away..and she's a bit over the top, but she's the best around."

"What do you mean carried away?" JD asked, looking to Chris to get him out of here ..now.

Joe was going to answer, but the elevator door opened. The small group stepped off the elevator and were greeted by the only person that could have been Cosette.

"Joey! So what have you brought me today? Hmmm? Ohhh..you must be JD? No?" Cosette asked.

"Ahh..yes Ma'am," JD smiled widely, which was pretty easy..the woman looked like a living cartoon. Heavy, dark makeup, hair so big he doubted she could walk under an overpass without ducking, big huge earrings and colored beads of different sizes around her neck that made construction work at 4 in the morning sound quiet, high heels that made Barbie look flat footed and a tiger printed dress that was shorter than anything Ally McBeal would ever wear.

"Ma'am? Oh how sweet! And you must be Mr. Davis?" Cosette asked, raised eyebrow; obviously impressed by the older agent.

"Yes, ma'am," Chris responded with a smile, glad he was hear to see this; he could use it in case JD retaliated in some way.

"Father like son is it??" Cosette laughed, for being called ‘ma'am' again.

God please get me out of here JD thought to himself.

"Joey, why don't you take Mr. Davis to the lobby, and you can come with me," Cosette said, grabbing JD by the casted arm. "Oh my! Is this broken??." she asked.

Duh! "Yes ma'am," JD said, instead of what he thought.

"And ohhhhhh.. A black eye too.. When did this happen? Recently?" Cosette asked.

"Friday ma'am," JD smiled.

"And how did you do this? Skateboarding, snowboarding..doing one of those X-treme sports?" Cosette assumed.

"He was breaking a wild horse, and fell," Joe explained.

Oh God, here it comes JD thought, he wasn't disappointed.

"NO! You train wild horses? You live on a ranch or farm?" she asked, putting her hands to her knees, looking JD in the eyes like she was talking to a 1st grader.

No, we keep them in the apartment "Yes, ma'am. On a ranch just out side of the city," JD answered.

"Joey! You brought me a cowboy! No one has a cowboy!" she said way too enthusiastically JD thought.

Chris could barely contain himself, he did feel bad for the kid; but more importantly he was just glad it wasn't him.

Cowboy? God, are you mad at me? JD thought, seeing his ‘fathers' face.

"Well..okay..lets go in here..We'll talk for a little while," she said, their backs turning from Joe and Chris " ...and then you can take off your shirt and see what we have under all this flannel and cotton," She smiled, JD snapped his head back to Chris in a pleading direction, mouthing the words ‘my shirt'.

Chris looked to Joe.

"His shirt?"

"Cosette likes to see the structure, you know..wants to know if the kid's built," Joe smiled. "He's not going to be alone if that's what you're worried about..I mean she's not ‘sick in the head'".

"I'm not worried about that..JD's ..well..JD's a bit on the shy side.." Chris smiled.

"Seriously? I figure he'd have girls knocking down his door," Joe said.

"Kinda hard when you're doin' this kinda work," Chris said. and you have Buck for a roommate who's always trying to fix you up with women..just like Cosette  he thought.

+ + + + + + +

"Okay..Just sit here. JD..this is Suzette, Lars, and of course you know me," Cosette smiled widely.

JD stood and shook each persons hand as they were introduced.

"Such manners," Suzette said. "Your mother raised you right," she continued.

"Yes, ma'am," Suzette was dressed just as bad as Cosette, just not as ‘big' or as ‘loud'.

"You're parents are here with you?" Lars asked.

"Just my Dad, sir," Lars was just a male version of Cosette..except his makeup wasn't as bright.

"Your mother? Is at home?" Cosette asked.

"Uh, no ma'am, she died," JD said, having the true emotion almost slide through.

"I'm sorry. How old were you when she passed?" Cosette asked, JD swore he could see a small smile on her face.

"When I was 15."

"What did she die of?" Lars asked, as he wrote things on a pad of paper.

"She ..she had cancer," when Chris had told him about his ‘Mother' he didn't know how close to the truth he had come.

"What kind?" Suzette asked, like she was asking him his shirt size.

"Can we talk about somethin' else?" JD asked, hanging his head.

"Sure, so what is it you do on the farm?" Cosette asked, never missing a beat.

"Ranch. I work with the horses," JD answered in a short manner.

"How'd you break your arm?" Lars asked.

"Fell off a horse," JD answered flatly.

"The black eye?" Suzette asked.

"From when I fell off the horse," JD said again flatly

"Okay, lets move on to something else," Cosette sighed out, realizing that the Q&A was getting tiring.

"Okay, you just stand here," Suzette said, "and I'll just take this and the t-shirt," she said as she took off the flannel long sleeve shirt and extended her hand for the gray tee.

Please can someone pull the fire alarm? JD thought as he did as he was asked.

Lars and Cosette started writing things down again on the paper, and JD felt on display as Suzette seemed to be looking at him as if he was the special at the Steakhouse.

"Okay, turn," Cosette ordered, Suzette helped and turned JD around so his back was to them.

Some one just come in here and shoot me JD just wanted out..like yesterday.

"Okay, now was that so bad? We're all done here, you can go back out in the lobby with you're father and Joe, do you remember how to get back there? Just follow the hall and you'll be there. We'll talk to you in about..5 minutes," Cosette smiled and asking the questions without giving JD a chance to answer.

JD smiled and left, thankful that he was out of there..he was going to kill Chris.

+ + + + + + +

Chris saw JD coming from the end of the hall, he could see that the kid was far from a happy camper. JD made his way into the lobby, and knowing that he was once again under public eye, the sour facial expression changed, but not without letting Chris know they needed to ‘talk' later.

"How'd it go JD," Joe asked.

"Good, learned a lot," JD smiled, neither of the men missed the sarcasm in his strained whisper.

"Like what?" Chris made the mistake of asking.

"What a hereford feels like on the auction block," he smiled and laughed, but the fire in his eyes still there.

"I doubt it was that bad," Chris tried, knowing that the kid was bashful.

"Really? Then you can go in there next time," JD spit out, still smiling.

"JD, If you'll all come with me," Cosette said, all business. She guided them to her office where they all sat down, JD in between Joe and Chris.

"Okay..well..there is only one question..the cast..how long are you to have it on?" Cosette asked.

"6-8 weeks," JD answered.

"Okay..we've made an appointment at the ‘Body Shoppe' for 2 o'clock," Cosette said, smiling.

"What for?" JD asked, not really knowing what the ‘Body Shoppe' was.

"Well..you see...all of the big groups today don't sport any ....chest hair..and well..we need to..get rid of the bit you have," Cosette smiled, like she was telling him to get new shoes.

"Excuse me?" JD said, eyes wide.

"There going to wax your chest, make it look all nice and pretty," Cosette said, making it sound like he was just going to brush his teeth.

"No offense..but I kinda like it the way it is," JD tried to hold back the outburst, his arms crossing in front of him, shielding his chest from this crazy woman's intentions.

"JD.. I'm the image consultant.. And I know what sells, and chest hair doesn't sell..so it needs to go..even your little itsy bitsy ‘Happy Trail'," Cosette smiled, and winked.

"MY WHAT!??" JD asked, seeing where the pencil was pointing.

"Cosette..Let me talk to JD..I'll see what I can do.." Joe stammered, seeing that Cosette had gone to far.

"Oh..okay..Thank you..bye bye!" she waved as Chris and Joe practically dragged JD out of the office, they went straight for the elevator.no stopping at ‘go' or collecting $200..right to the elevator.

The minute the doors closed JD turned to Joe.

"Is this sound proof?" JD asked sweetly.

"Yes," Joe foolishly answered.

"Now JD..just cal.."

"Don't go giving me that ‘now JD just calm down' speech!! Did you not hear what she said!? I'm not getting my chest waxed!!! Forget it!!"

"It'll grow back," Chris said calmly.

"When? It took me 25 years to get what little I got!" JD yelled out, Chris just hung his head in silence, trying so hard not to laugh.

"It was only a suggestion JD, you don't have..." Joe tried to calm the kid down.

"A really, really, really bad suggestion," JD said not in a yell but not quietly either.

The elevator opened and JD was the first off. He walked out of the building and stood there, wondering where the truck was; then remembered that they had come in a car with Joe.

"JD," Chris said.

"Don't Chris..Look..I put them drops in my eyes even though they hurt like hell...just for the case..but this..this...I didn't want to do this to begin with..it's bad enough I have to sing that..... ‘music', but there's just some things I won't do..and THAT is one of them," he said, finally able to unload.

"You finished?" Chris asked evenly.

"I dunno. They want me to dye and cut my hair too?" JD asked Joe.

"Most likely," Joe smiled, like it was no big deal.

"THAT'S the other thing I won't do," JD replied.

"JD..it's what all the other groups are doing," Joe reasoned.

"You ever think that's why no one notices them? How can they?..they all look the same as all those other guys out there!" JD yelled.

"I think Joe has a clue as to what he's doin.." Chris tried, knowing JD was going into a rant again.

"These three guys, they seem decent enough..but they look the same..up on that stage they're gonna look like the other 30 guys up on the stage. You cloning them?? You have these little test tubes of these guys' DNA stored in a closet some where? You need one you just add water or somethin'?" JD took a deep breath, then added, "I will not dye my hair platinum blond..hell I'll look like some albino!"

"So you're open to getting your hair cut?" Joe asked, like JD hadn't raised his voice at all.

"Not by someone you know..they seem to go a little crazy with the scissors," JD said, he then looked to Chris. "Okay, now I'm done"

FOURTEEN

The group met for lunch so JD could get to know the others better. He came to realize that Robbie, Ryan and Joey were pretty decent guys and that two of them were actually blond. Ryan decided that maybe he'd recolor his hair dark..close to its original color, so JD wouldn't stick out so much.

Chris and Joe left the four alone to go over the ‘operation' and performance schedule while the young men talked. Robbie asked JD what he thought of Cosette, and JD let them know exactly what he thought of her.

"Did she do the ‘Ohh and what have you brought me today Joey'?" Robbie asked in his best impression.

"Oh Yeah..then she grabs my arm..and says.. ‘Oh is it broken?'" JD imitated as well.

"Well Duh!!" the three answered.

"It's like ‘no, I just like having 10 extra pounds hanging off my arm'," Joey laughed out.

"She ask about the horses?" Ryan wanted to know.

"Yeah, she said ‘the horses are on the farm?'," JD said, taking a bite from his sandwich. "And I'm thinking ‘no..they're kept in an apartment downtown'," the four laughed together.

"Oh God! What about the Body Shoppe??" Ryan asked.

"Yeah.. ‘Bare and smooth.. That's what sells'," Robbie said.

"She said she wanted to take my Happy Trail..what the heck's that?" Joey asked.

JD stood from his chair leaned towards the teen and whispered something into Joey's ear. JD sat back down, Joey looked south..then back at the others.

"No," he gasped with wide eyes.

"Yup," came the three serious answers.

"So you guys went to the Body Sh.." JD started.

"No way..took me 17 years to get what I have," Robbie said, lifting his shirt to show the blond hair on his stomach

"Took me 18," Ryan offered, doing the same.

"Took me 16," Joey offered, aping the others.

"JD?" the others asked, breaking the laughter.

"Me? Still working on it," JD smiled.

"How old are you?" Joey seemed to share the same affliction JD had at times..didn't know when to keep his mouth quiet.

"25, you got more hair on you pinky knuckle than I do on my.." JD smiled as he started, but was interrupted.

"You guys almost finished?" Chris asked, interrupting the deep discussion.

"Ah, yeah..where to now? Coreowhatchamacallit?" JD asked Joe.

"Fashion Consultant, then sylist..then Coreo.."Ryan started to remind.

"Well, no..slight change of plans," Joe interrupted.

"Why?"

"With the way things went with Cosette I doubt you'd want to hear what the others had to say," Joe smiled to JD.

"So we're going where then?"

"Choreographer," Joe smiled.

"Great," JD forced his smile.

"It really isn't that bad JD," Joey said.

"I bet," JD said with an edge.

"You okay?" Chris asked, knowing that when JD got edgy, he was tired..or worse..he was ‘fine'.

"Yeah..just tired, I'm fine..really," JD stressed the really.

"You okay to drive?" Chris asked.

"Yeah why?"

"Joe and I will drop you off to get the truck, then we are going to where the concert is going to be and look it over..you can take the truck to where you gotta go, the boys know how to get to the dance studio, we'll meet back up at the venue," Chris ordered out the rest of the day.

"Alright," JD said with a smile, glad that Chris wasn't going to be able to witness yet another humiliating part of the day.

The group of six climbed into the waiting car, and once situated, headed back to the recording studio.

They exited the car after it stopped in front of Chris's truck, the three young men stood in front of the truck, JD stood straight hand extended with his palm up and a shit-eatin' grin on his face; Chris had a killer stereo system in that truck, why he never turned it on was lost on JD.

"Be careful, huh?" Chris said with a lift in his usually calm tone, JD thought he almost sounded like Archie Bunker, making him wonder if he would add ‘Meathead' to the statement.

"You bet Arc..Dad," JD smiled innocently.

"I'm serious here JD...this ain't Ezra's car..this is MY truck," Chris began to lecture.

"Who's Ezra?" Ryan asked, making a face when he said ‘Ezra', "What kinda person would name their kid Ezra?"

"Maude," JD and Chris answered together.

"Ezra works with us, JD just got off an undercover assignment with him," Chris explained.

"Now remember what I said..this ain't the Jag..this is..M.." Chris began to repeat.

"MY truck, yes you've said that already, now can I just have the keys..I gotta go dance," JD smiled again.

"Woah..hold on just a minute. You said he drives Ezra's car?" Robbie cut in.

"Yes," Chris answered.

"And Ezra's car is a Jag..as in like a Jag..uar?" Robbie asked again.

"Yes," Chris answered again.

"If EZRA lets JD drive his JAG..why are you so anal about the truck?" Robbie asked, it was simple..Jag, truck..truck, Jag..IF JD drove a JAG..why would the truck be a big deal..it was like comparing matchboxes to the real thing..no brainer.

Chris stepped forward, causing Robbie to lean back against the truck in question, as he got into the young man's face..causing the other two group members to cringe at the look..and the words.

"Because it's MY truck," Chris growled out.

JD stepped forward as he saw the three go so pale it made their blond hair look dark.

"Um Chris," he whispered. "You get any closer they're gonna piss themselves...or worse," he actually thought it was pretty comical when Chris did his glare..he'd even begun rating them, on a scale from 1-10, on their effectiveness towards the receiving end of a ‘Larabee glare'.

"Oh..sorry.." Chris smiled, he was going to put a reassuring hand on Robbie's shoulder..but he figured the teen might loose all control of important bodily functions. He then turned to JD "Well??"

JD looked at the teens trying to compose themselves. "I dunno..I'd give a strong 9."

"9!! That was 10 and you know it," Chris said.

"Okay..you're right..I mean after all you had Ryan and Joey hidin'..and you were still 2 feet way from them!"

"Okay..heres the keys..we'll meet up later," Chris said handing JD the keys to HIS truck.

"Okay..see ya then," JD smiled, unlocking the door by remote on the key chain.

"You be good or I'll tell Buck you wore ballet shoes," Chris threatened.

"No you won't," JD assured.

"You're right, but I will tell him about Cosette," Chris smiled his other threat.

"Buck would date Cosette and thank me for introducing them," JD smiled out knowing he was right..... again.

"I'll break the other arm if I can't get a hold of your neck," Chris sneered.

"I promise to be careful," as JD knew Chris would definitely do that; he got into the truck, started it, beeped the horn, waving as he left in the direction Ryan told him to.

FIFTEEN The stereo stopped on an all opera station.

"Ewwwww," came the collective opinion.

Country.

Sounded even worse with the gagging sounds from the four young men in the truck added to it.

Easy Listening.

"Oh please," the trio said in disgust.

Pop.

"NO!" the trio answered the radio urgently.

JD pushed a button, causing the station to stay, as he heard a familiar song come on Finally some real music he smiled warmly..like he'd just stepped into a nice hot relaxing bath after a very long day.

‘I came into this world as a reject look into these eyes and you'll see the signs of the fact..'

The words came over the speakers.

"BIZKIT!!" the trio yelled.

JD smiled, and turned it up a few notches..and the four began to sing along..loudly.

‘I did it all for the nookie, the nookie
so you cant take that cookie
and stick it up your (yea)
stick it up your (yea)..'

JD suddenly turned the radio down.

"HEY!!" the three screamed.

"Your folks let you listen to this stuff?" remembering the parental advisory on the cover of the CD.

"JD..please don't get all grown up on us now!" Robbie said.

"I'm 18," Ryan reminding JD of the fact that he was an ‘adult'.

"What the heck's nookie mean?" Joey asked, sounding like he was asking a guru the meaning of life.

"Sex," JD, Robbie and Ryan answered.

"Oh," the young teen paused, pondering "what did he do exactly for the nookie? Pay for it?"

JD suddenly felt like Buck. "No he didn't pay for it . He stuck with the same girl for it."

"And that was bad?" Joey just didn't catch the drift of the song.

"No..he stuck with her even though she was screwing around with everyone else," JD explained the reason behind the lyrics.

"Why'd he do that?" Joey asked honestly.

"Well, you see kid, he's got what I like to call ‘Buck-i-tis'," JD smiled.

"Huh?" the three collectively asked.

"Thinking with the wrong brain," JD smiled.

"Ohhh," the teens let out understanding.

"Who's Buck?" Ryan asked.

"Another guy you work with?" Joey wondered.

"Yup."

"Left here JD," Ryan informed.

JD signaled for the left, waited for the traffic to clear and made his way to the parking lot. He found a space not to far from where Robbie had said the entrance was and stopped, putting the truck in park and just to be on the safe side pushed the emergency brake on.

"This is it," Joey smiled.

"‘Larson's Dance Studio,'" JD read the sign aloud. "Well ain't that a snappy name...grabs your attention doesn't it," JD said sarcastically.

"Not really, it's a pretty lame one if you ask me..I mean.." Joey rambled.

"Joey, he knows that..he was being sarcastic," Robbie enlightened the youngest of the group.

"I..I knew that," Joey tried to cover.

"Well, lets go do some dancing or coreograwhateverthehelltheycallit," JD sighed out with a fake smile.

"You don't sound too excited about doing this JD," Ryan said.

"Really? How did you figure that out?" JD bit back.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about..it's just the four of us and Mr. Jenkins," Ryan assured.

"Well, unless you can't dance," Joey said. Yup..he did have JD's knack of not knowing when to keep his mouth shut.

"Joey!!" Ryan and Robbie both used a punishing tone.

"What? All I said was..."

"We heard you the first time," Robbie responded.

"Well..I'll have you know that I was voted best dancer in my class," JD smiled widely, puffing his chest just a bit.

"No way! Where?" Ryan asked.

"Yup. Travis Elementary School..5th grade," JD smiled, winking to Joey.

"Let's get outta here..we're gonna be late" Robbie laughed out.

They all emptied out of the truck and JD locked the truck..then unlocked and locked it again..just to make sure and the four headed to the dance studio.

Best Boy Dancer Travis Elementary 5th grade JD thought, remembering the ribbon They don't have to know that I was the only boy in class that year..right? he thought again as he entered the elevator. two left feet he remembered Buck saying once..he wished he HAD two left feet..it would be an improvement.

+ + + + + + +

The four members of the group exited the elevator, Ryan walked to a door and opened it exposing the studio.

JD looked around, it was just like he'd seen on TV..

There was a railing, hardwood floor, instruments in the corner and mirrors everywhere. Okay, so not everywhere JD thought to himself..but he did think there were more than enough, he knew he was going to be bad at this..he didn't want to have to see how bad.

JD looked back over to the corner where the instruments were and saw a small set of drums.

"Well alright!!" JD said, making his way quickly to the drums.

"Umm..JD..you..I mean are you ..maybe you shouldn't be..I don't know..doing that?" Ryan stammered out.

"You sound just like Buck Ryan..geez," JD smiled, finding a set of drumsticks and hitting the bass drum a few times.

"Can you play them?" Joey asked.

"Yeah, well..not as good as usual..but better than I can dance!" JD smiled, and began to bang away on the drums.

JD played for 2 or 3 minutes when the studio lights flickered off then on.

JD looked up at the lights then to the 3 boys and was about to ask what happened, when he saw the silhouette of someone in the doorway, the body language letting JD know that whoever this was, was not very happy.

"Ah..Hey!...I'm ..ahh..real sorry about that..but..I was just ..waiting..and I ahh...was gettin' pretty bored.and..well.." JD stammered, as the form got closer.

"You are here to dance, not play music, I have musicians to play music," the voice said over and over as it echoed through the empty studio.

"Well, yeah..I assumed that..it's just that...well.... How ‘bout I just shut up now?" JD smiled.

"Good idea," the man's voice said, stepping into the light.

JD leaned over to Ryan and whispered, "He kinda looks familiar."

"He used to be on this TV show or in a movie..or both....or so he says," Ryan replied.

The man stepped again so he was in the light completely, and JD held back his laugh,or tried to, as JD chanced a look at the man in his black leotard pants, that made spandex look baggy, tight black tank top, and black dance slippers. The whole outfit left nothing to the imagination.

JD looked at the man's face..Great..it's ‘Leroy' JD thought as he let out a heavy sigh. His mother loved the movie ‘Fame'..and when they made it into a TV show, she never missed a episode. JD hated it then, he hated it even more now.

Maybe I'll break my ankle the first step we try JD smiled at the thought.

"Hi Mr. Jenkins, this is JD," Ryan introduced.

"JD, we're going to do the easiest routine, then we'll move on to the others," Mr. Jenkins said.

"Um..well..if.." JD stammered.

"You have a question Mr....?? Or is it just JD..Like Cher, Madonna.." Jenkins said, with a lift and a lot of sarcasm in his tone.

"JD will do just fine," JD smiled, trying not to hit the man.

"You're question?"

"Can't we just sit on stools or chairs and sing..I gotta tell ya..when we play all we do is stand up on stage and just sing,..we don't go hoppin' around like the Easter Bunny on speed..and the crowd see.."

"You'll dance," he said shortly

"Okay, we'll dance" JD smiled sarcastically, he mumbled under his breath as he followed the 3 group members, no one wanted to know what he was saying, they were pretty sure that their parents had told them never to use most of what JD was mumbling.

+ + + + + + +

"What?" The mustached man asked the 3 men staring at him.

"You are really enjoying the fact that your roommate and our youngest member has such a dastardly assignment," Ezra leveled, Buck hadn't stopped smiling, shaking his head periodically or just burst out in laughter since he'd arrived that morning for work.

"Aw hell Ezra..it ain't all that ‘dastardly'. From what I understand the girls go crazy for these guy groups!" Buck smiled, then burst into laughter as he tried to add "8 and 9 year old girls!!" and he doubled over into himself, falling off the chair.

"Maybe you should put yourself in his shoes Buck," Josiah's voice boomed out.

"Hell..I can't sing..and I'm to damn old for the teenyboppers!" Buck strained through the laughter.

"Suppose you were needed to be a priest in a convent? I don't suppose you could pull that off, with out a first class ticket to hell," Ezra said.

Buck stopped laughing as his head peeked over his desk, his face was serious.

"That isn't even funny Ezra."

"Why, Mr. Wilmington, I would find that very entertaining!" Ezra said.

"I'd like to see that happen," Nathan agreed

"Be thankful that you're bent on your knees and praying most of the time, there are some mighty fine looking nuns around." Josiah said.

"Stop it! Now don't go saying things like that..that's..that's right down..mean," Buck sneered.

"No meaner than making Mr. Dunne loose ten years and perform music he detests."

"Well..I guess you're right Ezra..but their is one difference."

"And that would be what exactly Mr. Wilmington?"

"JD situation," Buck said seriously, "is a riot!!" Buck laughed out, again sending the man to the floor. "Just picture..JD..and..Ohh..lord..dancin'...ah..come on..just try ...and seeehehehehehe!!" Buck managed.

Ezra, Josiah and Nathan looked at one another, as the mental picture formed, they found themselves in very much the same position as Buck, laughing to high heaven.

"Ju..uuummmm...pin'," Josiah laughed out.

"Oh Lord!!" Ezra tried hard not to laugh but couldn't.

"I ..I almost..feel bad..no I don't! Many times as he ain't listened and gotten himself hurt..he deserves this!" Nathan laughed out the last two words.

+ + + + + + +

JD! I have shown you 3 times...Cross...cross..cross," Jenkins instructed.

"But you ain't told me WHAT to cross!!!!" JD said, 3 hours and he'd managed to master two dance...steps.

"Your ARMS!!!"Jenkins was growing impatient, putting his head down shaking it How could someone be THIS dense? he thought.

The 3 original group members sat in corner..trying hard not to laugh, they were wondering who would give in first..JD had the routine down, he just didn't want to do it..he had Jenkins fooled; but not them. They really didn't care for the dance routines, it made it hard to sing in key and dance around, but ‘all the groups were doing it', so they had to also.

Jenkins did the step again, looked back to JD..who did his version.

"NO! NO! NO!" Jenkins yelled.

"I crossed my arms like ya said!" JD yelled back.

"The wrong way!!" Jenkins buried his face in his hands.

"Well you didn't say they had to go a certain way," JD said sarcastically, turning his head and sending a wry smile and raising his eyebrows twice.

"Like this," Jenkins walked over to JD and grabbed his arms..and moved them as he said it "left over right, back out, right over left. And don't go giving me ‘my arms broken'..I've danced with a broken arm before," Jenkins relayed.

"I know..saw that episode," JD said quietly, then sported a smile.

"Do it right this time," Jenkins pleaded, giving JD the evil eye in the process.

The music started, Jenkins demonstrated and JD screwed it up.

"That's it!! I've had it..I'm done..no more..you want to sit on stools..then go ahead!! Stools it is!" and Jenkins stormed off.

"Alright!" the four young men stated.

"We gotta meet Chris, ready?" JD asked.

"Yup, we better leave before we get kicked out," Ryan said seriously.

"Okay . To the bat mobile!" JD said, heading to the elevator.

The four exited the building, from the third floor window JD and the others heard Jenkins yelling out something inaudible, but he didn't sound like he was inviting them to dinner. JD looked to the other three, who all smiled knowingly..and as they stood in the parking lot they performed the whole routine without a hitch, JD unlocked the truck, and the four waved before closing the truck doors.

JD started the truck, remembered he'd put the emergency break on, put into reverse then into drive and headed for where the concert would be at the end of the week.

It was a fifteen minute drive, the group talking back and forth about everything and nothing. They saw Joe and Chris in the parking lot. JD drove slowly by, knowing that Chris was most likely making a mental note on every detail of the truck, looking for anything out of place or added.

JD came to a stop, shut the truck off and opened the door.

"Have fun?" Chris asked with a small grin.

"Yeah. There was this drumset there and JD began.."

"You didn't?" Chris asked as he listened to Joey.

"Not for long..sides..I was bored waiting for the corewhatshisname"

"Did you learn all the routines?" Joe asked.

"Well, umm..well..you see we had a slight problem there," JD said, hanging his head so Joe wouldn't see his smile.

"We..or just one person?" Chris asked knowingly

"I think it was a mutual problem sir," Robbie said, trying to hide his smile.

"We'll talk about it later," Chris said quietly to JD.

"So what was the problem?" Joe asked.

"JD can't dance..were just gonna sit on stools or stand or whatever!" Joey said, a little more excitable than was necessary.

"We can't do that! We have to dance! it's part of the show!" Joe said.

"Then you go and dance while we sing," JD offered.

"Stools don't sound too bad after all," Joe declined the offer.

"We can stand up once in a while."

"You're just full of bright ideas aren't you," Joe stated sarcastically.

JD just smiled.

Chris walked over to the other members, all stood a bit straighter wondering what they did wrong.

"He know the routines?" Chris asked.

"Uh..well.." Robbie stammered, for once Joey kept his mouth shut.

"He give that dancer the look?"

"What look?" Ryan asked honestly.

"The look, when he gets all pouty when he doesn't get his way," Chris asked.

"I don't remember a look sir," Ryan answered again.

"Fine," Chris turned to walk back to JD.

"What are we doing now?" JD asked as Chris stood next to him.

"Home," Chris said.

"Oh..Um..I do somethin?" JD asked, Chris using one syllable words for answers was never a good thing.

"Nope."

"Chris..I couldn't dance to save my life...I tri.."

"Stop," Chris said.

"'Kay," JD said, adding the look.

"Dammit don't do that!" Chris said.

"What?" JD asked, still sporting the look.

"That!" Joe, Chris, Robbie, Joey and Ryan said at the same time.

"You guys are nuts," JD said, shaking his head as he walked to the truck.

"Hold up JD," Chris said.

"What?"

"The boys are gonna come to the ranch..spend a few days and relax, go over what's left to go over before the concert. Sound okay?"

"Yeah, that'll be okay," JD said.

"Boys?"

"Yeah!! Cool!"

"Okay..well..then lets go," Chris said.

JD sat in the back, behind Chris with Ryan next to him and Joey, letting Robbie in the front. It had been a long day an after only a few minutes JD was asleep.Chris was glad that JD was able to sleep, but he started questioning the wisdom of going to the ranch about 10 minutes into the trip.

It was like 3 JD's as the kids talked about what they'd do once they got there, asked Chris if they would be able to ride, what the others were like and then, thankfully, they talked to each other allowing Chris to just tone them out the rest of the way..the whole hour of the rest of the way. He secretly wondered if JD was really sleeping..or if it was the beginning of payback.

CONTINUE

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