You Do What You Have To Do:
Chapter 43
By: Tee and Danielle 
(C) by us too.
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I took his hand and dragged him to the elevator, being sure to drop it when
we got in and hurtled down to the lobby.  We cut across the lobby keeping
our heads down and into a taxi that was parked out front.

Thankfully, the driver didn't give us a second glance, but judging from the
amount of religious figurines that lined the dashboard, I knew doing
anything other than secretly holding his hand in mine as they lay in the
space between us would not be a  good thing.

I gave the driver the address and watched Kevin as he looked out the
windows, curious beyond belief at where we were going, but too stubborn to
break down and ask.

I smirked, even if he did ask, I wouldn't tell him anyway.

Kevin noticed that we were going further and further from Sunset Strip,
which was scary enough on it's own, but we were starting to go into the
seedy part of town.  I saw his head turn and an eyebrow raised, but he
didn't say a word.

I just smiled and squeezed his hand as comfortingly as I could, silently
asking him to trust me.

He smiled a little and nodded just a tiny bit to let me know that he did
trust me.

I settled back against the seat with a sigh, the smile filling my face.  It
was a good feeling to know that he trusted me, even when he had no clue
where I was dragging him.  I knew Kevin did not trust people easily at all
and if he gave you his trust, it was unshakeable until you betrayed him,
then you would never get it back.

I felt the taxi coming to a stop and smiled as I saw the familiar building.
I threw some money at the driver and pulled Kevin out of the taxi.  The
familiar whine of a trumpet wrapped around my ear drums and I grinned,
pulling a reluctant Bumpkin behind me.

I stopped on in the doorway like I had before, pulling Kevin beside me and
let him take in the atmosphere.  I watched his green eyes dart from the the
man playing the trumpet under a spotlight to the small crowd watching him,
then to the bar at one end of the club and then he smiled, "How did you ever
find this place?"

I shrugged with a smile, "I just kinda wandered here.  I found this place
the same night you came back. "

"Young Nick, is that you?"

I turned away from Kevin to face Etta, "Etta!" I wrapped my arms around her
in a hug which she returned with a hell of a lot of strength for such as
small woman.  I could feel the confusion coming off of Kevin and released
Etta to do introductions.  She was already eyeing him from head to toe.

She looked at me with an arched brow, "So this is the one who owns your
heart, Young Nick?"

I nodded and put my hand on his arm, "Yeah, this is my boyfriend Kevin." I
could feel Kevin jump in surprise that I had just called him my boyfriend in
front of another person besides Sam.

Etta stood in front of Kevin and then before he knew what was happening, she
was hugging him.  He was stunned for a second and by that time she had let
him go and grabbed ahold of his ear, gripping it so hard he yelped and was
pretty much begging for mercy, trying to stay standing."What you did to
Young Nick was awful, Kevin.  You broke his heart and he had way too much
pain in his eyes for someone his age. You better take good care of him,
cherish that heart he's given you or you will answer to me, and it will not
be pretty. Do we have an understanding?" She abruptly let his ear go and he
stood up, rubbing  it.

"Yes ma'am."

She smiled and hugged him again, "I'm sorry to hurt you like that, but I
can't stand to see my friends hurt and you hurt him badly.  But I can see by
the happiness in his eyes that he has forgiven you, so I will too.  Welcome
Kevin, please come in and make yourself at home."

Kevin smiled at her, "I understand, I would do the same thing to anyone who
hurt Nick too.  I do love him, Etta, more than anything."

She smiled and patted his cheek, "I know, Young Kevin. Now come in!"

Etta showed us to a booth that was tucked up by the stage and we slid in.
She smiled and waved over a waiter and two cokes were placed in front of us
and Kevin grinned. Etta had to know that Kevin was old enough to drink, but
that he wouldn't want to around Nick.

"I'm beginning to see why you like her so much, she's a spitfire isn't she?"

I laughed, "Yeah, she is. She managed to hold me together that night when I
felt like I was falling to pieces.  She sat with me and let me pour my heart
out and it did me a world of good.  I had been holding it all inside and it
was eating me up.  She sang this song....damn Kev, it nearly tore me to
pieces it was so true."

I felt a hand on my cheek and looked up to see Kevin looking at me with
remorse all over his face as his thumb brushed the tear from my cheek.  I
hadn't even realized I'd been crying.

"I'm so sorry. I know I can never say it enough. I truly am so, so sorry."

I nodded and held his hand on my cheek, "I know you are. I forgive you
Kevin, I do."

He smiled and I brought my hand down from my face, clutching his.  I looked
to the stage and saw Etta sitting on her stool, getting ready to perform.  I
pointed this out to Kevin, "She is so good, Kev.  She'll tear your heart out
and you'll be asking for more."

We both fell silent as Etta started to sing a song neither of us knew, but
before long we were transfixed by her along with everyone else in the club.
Couples got up to dance, swaying back and forth to her smokey singing and
the wail of the trumpet behind her.  I closed my eyes and fell completely
under her spell.

My eyes opened again when I heard her voice speaking from the stage, "This
is for the two young ones who are lucky enough to have found the loves of
their lives and may they never feel the sting of separation again."

I knew that was directed towards Kevin and I and she started singing Ain't
No Sunshine.  I smiled and looked at Kevin, "This is the song! This is the
one she sang that made me fall to pieces thinking of you."  I stood up from
the booth and held out my hand, "Dance with me."

He looked at me, "Here? In public? We can't!"

I swept my hand out to take in the dancing couples. "Why not?"

He looked at them and realized for the first time that there were plenty of
couples dancing, some with male/female couples, but just as many
female/female couples and male/male couples.  No one seemed to notice or
care who was with who.  Kevin looked up at me and reached his hand out to
grab mine.

I'm sure my smile could have lit up the room when he did that. I pulled him
out to the makeshift dance floor and when he pulled me into his arms, I just
about melted.  I closed my eyes as I rested my head on his shoulder and
wrapped my arms around his waist, enjoying the feeling of being in his arms
in public, dancing with someone I loved more than anything and not having to
worry about who saw it.  I was determined to enjoy this for all it was
worth, because god knew when we would be able to do it again.

I felt Kevin's arms resting on my shoulders and the fingers of one of his
hands stroking over the back of my neck.  I snuggled closer to him and
started to softly kiss the crook of his neck.

That made him whimper and I smiled.  I was so happy at that moment that I
could hardly stand it. I raised my head and kissed his ear softly, "I love
you, Bumpkin."

He hugged me closer to him, "I love you more, Nickers."