Author: Connie and Shay
Feedback: TheWritersShack@yahoogroups.com; Connie@butterflyfiction.com
Archive: My site and anywhere else just ask.
Fandom: General Hospital (1980's)
Rating: NC 17
Type: Slash
Pairings: Noah/Blackie, Danny/Claudia, Devin/Dana
Disclaimer: They don't belong to us. They belong to ABC, GH, Gloria Monty and probably a few other people. They didn't treat them right so we play with them.
The real people mentioned also do not belong to me. (I WISH THEY DID!)
So don't get your panties in a wad if something you don't like or agree with happens.
There are many characters that are of our own creation. So pay attention and don't get lost. This is our story and we do what we want.
Summary: The previous chapters.
Anything else: song credits to Travis Tritt for "God must be a woman". I will be on vacation till July 11, so the next chapter will be after that.
Noah/Blackie's
5:00 AM
Blackie wiggled the headphones on his ear and pushed the play button again as he reached for his mug of hot chocolate. Stopping the playback, he hit the record button and began reprogramming the track. Suddenly, the sounds ceased in his headphones and began to fill the room; he looked down to see Robin with the cord in her hand.
Quickly turning it off, he picked up the tot and put a finger to his lips, "Shhhh, munchkin, everybody else is still sleeping."
Hugging him and laying her head to his shoulder she asked, "What are you doing, Daddy?"
"Working," He answered as he rubbed her back. "What are you doing?"
"Coming to get in bed with you," she giggled.
Noah came into the room, pushing his fingers through his hair. "What's the matter, baby? What you doing up?" He then crossed and took Robin. "And what are you doing up, doll-face?"
"I come for snuggles," Robin answered.
"And I couldn't sleep, so I was working on some tracks."
Noah kissed the girl's forehead. "Go climb in Daddies' bed. We'll be right there."
The girl scrambled down the hall and Noah came around the stool wrapping his arms around his lover's shoulder. "You are going to be wonderful tonight."
"I'm nervous," Blackie exhaled, leaning into the man's embrace.
"I know," he answered. "But you need to come back to bed and try and get a little more sleep."
"I'm meeting Dana, Danny, and Jo-Dee down at the Bucket at 11 to approve the seating and do a last rehearsal."
"You going to do a rehearsal and a show today?" Noah asked.
"Not a full rehearsal, more of a sound check."
"I see. Well, that's still five hours. Come to bed for two, then I'll run you a bath and fix you a good breakfast before you go out?"
He turned on the stool and hugged the man's waist. "How about you take a bath with me?"
The doctor moaned. "Wonderful, but some rest first?"
"Okay, Doc. I'll try."
Danny/Claudia's
The dark haired man clasped his wife's hand firmly in his and kissed her softly, both of them basking in the afterglow of their early morning lovemaking.
"It's hard to believe it's been almost a year," Claudia whispered.
"Time's just flown," Danny answered with a smile, then frowned. "I wish you didn't have to work this morning."
"It's okay, sweet heart. I only have to work till noon. By the time I'm off you'll be done with your sound check and we can go tell our parents before your showcase tonight."
He nuzzled the woman's cheek, "How about we come back here and do more of this, then tell our parents after the showcase."
Claudia melted in his arms, "You're so persuasive."
"I can't believe it! I can't believe we finally have a baby on the way." He exclaimed, rolling the woman to her back and sliding down her body to kiss her stomach.
Dana/Bucky's
Dana slipped out of his shoes in the hall and then turned his key in the lock and opened the door. Bucky would be at work for another hour, and Sky was most likely asleep, but he was still nervous about waking the girl. He closed the door behind him and turned to see her stirring on the couch.
She sat up and looked at him, then the clock on the VCR and back. "Where have you been all night, Dad?"
He dropped his things and went to the side of the couch. Pushing the hair from her eyes, he spoke softly. "Working on the showcase. I would have called, but by the time I realized we were going to be at it all night I figured you were in bed."
"We?" She asked.
"Blackie, Danny, Jo-Dee and I, we were making final decisions on the music."
Sky closed her eyes. He was lying and she knew it. Worse yet it wasn't the first time. In the last few weeks, when Bucky worked the over night shift, Dana didn't come home either. She had been at Noah and Blackie's the night before and Blackie, Danny and Jo-Dee had been there too but not her father. She got up off the couch, "I'm going to go to bed."
Dana grabbed her arm, "Don't I get a hug, Sky?"
She turned and hugged her arms around the man's neck tight, not wanting to believe he was going to leave her and Bucky the way her biological father had divorced her mother.
After the girl was in her room, Dana went about his habitual routine. In the bathroom, he stripped his clothes, putting them in the laundry hamper. He then started a shower, and climbed in to wash away any evidence of his lover.
Charlie/Devin's
Devin walked into the room he shared with his boyfriend and then to the bed. Dropping down, he wrapped his arms around himself and inhaled the scent of his lover from his own body. Dreamily, he rolled over and pushed the button on the answering machine and listened as Charlie's voice filled the room. "Hey, baby, just wanted to let you know I'm going to be on the 9 am commuter flight. Pick me up at the airport about 10, okay? Oh, and don't bother trying to call me back tonight, rehearsals went real long and I'm going right to bed. Miss you and love you. Good night."
Devin sighed as he pushed the button. This last week had been wonderful, with Charlie going ahead to the city without him; Dana had hired him to work with Blackie on the showcase, so that had kept him in the city. To top it all off Bucky being so busy at the medical center, he and Dana had plenty of time alone together daily. He could almost imagine what it would be like to have the man for his very own and longed to find a way to spend the summer on the road with him. But alas, Charlie was coming back to Port Charles, they would go to the showcase together, then they were going to drive Devin's car back to the city, and next week, Dana's tour would begin.
Deciding to himself fretting wouldn't fix a thing, he began to peel his clothes off. A few hours sleep, a shower, then he would pick up his boyfriend at the airport. He would have one more night in close proximity to Dana and he planned to make the most of it.
Noah/Blackie's
Noah had been enjoying the soft sounds of his lover and daughter sleeping next to him, when his young son's voice filtered from the other room "Daddy!!" he called out.
The surgeon jumped from the bed, and crossed the hall hoping Brodie didn't wake Blackie. Seeing the tot standing in the crib, and rubbing his sleepy eyes, he opened his arms to him. "Hey there, Brodie boy."
"Daddy!" He repeated as he bounced on his legs reaching for the man.
Picking up the boy he snuggled him and relished the moment as the boy laid his head on his shoulders and hugged his neck. "Daddies bed!"
"You got him, Doc?" Came Blackie's voice from the bedroom.
"Yes, we'll be right there!" Noah called back, and then turned to the changing table, laying the boy down to change his diaper. "See what you did," He smiled to child. "You woke up Daddy!"
The small boy giggled and laughed as Noah talked to him.
Five minutes later, the surgeon crossed the hall to their bedroom, and set the boy down at the foot of the bed. He dropped down, and crawled up between his sister and Blackie when he saw the man reaching out for him.
Laying a top the younger man, the boy let his thumb find his mouth as he looked down and saw Troy on the floor. "Oggie!!" He called out. "Oggie!"
Blackie picked up his son and held him up in the air. "There's no room in the bed for the Doggie!" He teased the child.
Brodie pointed, "Troy!"
"Come on, Troy," Noah called the dog, patting on the bed. All four laughed when the dog jumped up and lay across the legs of the older men.
"Now EVERYONE is in the bed!" Robin cheered.
Anna appeared in the doorway, smiling at the scene, "Everyone?" she asked.
"MOMMY!!" The girl squealed and opened her arms to her.
"Momma!!" Brodie imitated.
The woman came to the edge of the bed, pushing her hair off her shoulder as she sat down and took Brodie from Blackie and let Robin climb onto her lap.
"Something wrong?" Blackie asked.
Anna shook her head slightly. "Gran is out there fixing breakfast."
Noah frowned and started to get out of the bed, "What is she doing that for?"
Blackie reached out and grabbed the man's arm. "She loves it, Noah. Leave her be."
"I do not want my Gran working herself to the bone when she is here visiting." He insisted. "There is no reason for it." He said as he pulled away and left the room.
"Doesn't he know she loves it," Anna asked after he was gone.
Blackie shook his head, "I think she'll probably tell him that."
In the kitchen
Noah walked through the swinging doors, ready to lecture the woman, but when the familiar scents hit his senses and he saw the woman humming happily to herself as she fussed he melted. Moving up behind her he hugged the woman's neck and whispered in her ear. "I miss you so much when you're not with us, Gran."
The woman turned and returned her grandson's hug. "I know, baby. I miss you too." She paused. "And it's been a rather long year hasn't it."
Noah frowned; it had been at least that long since he'd been to Atlanta. "When Blackie was hurt-"
"He's been up and about nearly six months now."
"I'm sorry," he answered as he dropped to the chair, suddenly guilt ridden and having no excuse.
Having filled a coffee cup, she set it in front of him and sat next the young man. "Now, now, don't get like that Noah. I didn't mean to make you feel bad."
He smiled as he took the woman's hand, "I know, but you are right. We should visit more often."
"I'd like that," she smiled.
"Or you know," He thought out loud. "You could move up here to be with the rest of your family."
"Don't think that hasn't crossed my mind," She answered. "If I thought this old body of mine could last a New York winter I might, though I don't think Fred would be too fond of the idea."
The man was suddenly reminded of the woman's impending nuptials. "Oh yeah, your big day is coming soon isn't it."
She nodded and smiled. "I don't want to be a downer on Blackie's big day, but you know we need to talk about it. You can't keep telling me later every time I bring it up."
He sagged in the chair, "Your house."
"It's too big for us, Noah, and truth be told we're at camp 90% of the time. For the times we're not there, we'd just as soon keep Fred's apartment, not the big huge house and all the grounds."
He nodded and shrugged, "I can't buy it right now, Gran. Don't get me wrong. We're not strapped or anything, but I can't-"
She cut him off with a smack to his arm. "Noah Drake! I do not want you to buy it! Remember that talk we had before you went to college."
He nodded, "You more or less gave it to me then."
"Not more or less, you told me that day you felt as though you didn't have a home of your own, that you had to go out and make your own place and I told you that house would always be yours and I meant it."
He nodded. "But it's not the house that's made it my home. It's you, you being there. I don't come home to that building, I come home to you, Gran."
She smiled as she pushed her fingers through his long hair, and then let her hand slide down his cheek, "I know that, baby, and I will be here when you need me for as long as God sees fit to let me keep breathing, but I'm too old to keep up the house." She got up and went to the counter, coming back with an envelope. "It's your decision to make, Noah."
He opened up the envelope and pulled out the papers as the woman went back to the stove. Seeing it was the deed to the property, he was shocked to find his name listed as owner.
"What is this?" He asked.
"I did it years ago, Noah, before you even knew Blackie or I would have his name on it too. I know how you are about things like that." She paused. "Baby, all I'm saying is it's always been yours to do with as you please. I can't keep it up anymore. You need to make the staff full time and keep it for your family for a vacation home or if you don't want to then you can sell it. It won't hurt me one way or the other which you do."
"Well, I have to talk to Blackie. Paying the staff full time is a big expense."
"Of course you talk to Blackie. But if you chose to keep on the staff, continue to pay them from the family account, and I would hope that you would keep it there for the entire Drake family to use."
"Of course." He answered without thought.
Just then the doorbell sounded through the house and he looked at his watch. "Oh shit! When did it get that late?" He said to himself as he wrapped his robe tight around himself and went to answer the door.
Blackie came from the bedroom as Noah went into the foyer. "Who is it, Doc?"
"I can't believe she's here and I'm not even dressed."
"Who?" He asked.
"A surprise." He said as he fingered his hair, and then opened the door.
The blond woman laughed out loud, "Am I early, Honey?"
"No! No!" he greeted as the woman moved in and hugged him. "I'm so sorry. We were having family time this morning and the time just got away from me."
Hearing the woman's sweet southern accent, and then Noah's voice bending to meet hers, Blackie dropped to the couch and shook his head a moment. As he heard the two coming back around the corner, he stood and crossed the room, greeting her with extended hand. "Ms. Parton. It's good to see you again. Noah didn't even tell me you were coming."
"Just wonderful to see you too, pumpkin." She responded taking the man's hand then pulling him in for a hug.
"Did you have a nice flight?" Noah asked as he moved back across the room toward the kitchen.
"Just wonderful!" The blond singer smiled as she spoke. "And we're all checked in and the nice hotel you told us about."
"Good, good," The doctor answered, a slight southern draw touching his voice. He then pushed open the kitchen door, "Gran, can you come out here?"
As the elderly woman came from the kitchen, Robin came down the hall holding Brodie's hand as she led him. "DADDIES! DADDIES!" She called out with her infant brother mimicking her cry.
Blackie turned on his heels and squatted down as both children ran to him.
"Brodie stinky!" Robin complained.
"Stinky!" The younger child repeated as he batted at his father's shoulder.
Blackie laughed as he picked up the boy. "Excuse me, Ms. Parton, we'll be right back.
"What is it, Noah baby?" The elderly woman asked as she came from the kitchen, wiping her hands on the apron. "And what's all this ruckus out here about."
"Gran," Noah said, as he took her hand, "I'd like you to meet Ms. Parton, she's here for Blackie's showcase tonight."
"Oh wow," The woman responded, stunned a moment, and then extended her hand to the celebrity.
The blond laughed and took her hand, "It's Dolly, and it's so nice to finally meet you, Nancy. The doctor's told me all about you in his sweet letters." She turned back to the surgeon, "And you promised me a tour of your medical center if I ever made it to Port Charles. I do hope you know I plan to collect on that."
"It would be my pleasure," Noah answered. He leaned down and kissed his daughter's forehead, "Can you go tell Mommy, and then Lori that breakfast is about ready then come down to eat." He then turned to the singer. "If you'd like to go in the kitchen, Gran makes about the best biscuits and gravy in the world. Soon as we eat I'd love to show you around the Center."
"Well, that doesn't sound like an offer I should be passing up." She said as she followed Nancy into the kitchen. Noah turned and went down the hall, meeting Blackie as he came from the bedroom fully dressed, with a fully dressed Brodie. Blackie smiled as he hugged the man's waist. "Seeing her made me remember just who all is going to be here tonight." Blackie whispered.
Taking the infant, Noah kissed his lover's lips, "Don't be nervous, baby. You're going to be wonderful."
"I'm not really, but I have a lot to do."
"Well, go have some breakfast before you go to practice, please? I'm going to show Dolly around the clinic. Then can you meet me back here at 1?"
Blackie nodded, "Shouldn't be a problem."
"Good, I want some time alone with you before your performance."
"Sounds good to me," He answered taking the baby back. "Let me take him in and get his breakfast while you get dressed. Then Anna's going to keep him for the day."
"Sounds like a plan," The doctor responded then kissed the man again.
PC Airport
Devin sat back in the chair; his boyfriend's plane had landed. He nervously bit his nails, and pouted to himself. If only Charlie hadn't insisted on flying in for Blackie's showcase, then he could have had just one more encounter with his lover before he left town for several weeks.
As his boyfriend appeared at the end of the runway, Devin smiled and stood. As soon as he saw him, his heart melted and he realized he had missed the other teen's soft touch and loving caresses. He nearly ran across the terminal to embrace him.
Charlie laughed as he returned the hug, and then lightly kissed his boyfriend's lips. "I missed you, Devin."
"I missed you too, baby, so much." He pulled the sunglasses down the boy's nose. "You look tired."
"I am," he laughed. "Your father is a slave driver. You know?"
Devin laughed, "I hear that. Let me take you home."
The Bucket
Danny and Jo-Dee walked into the bar, to find Blackie already on the makeshift stage tuning the instruments. Danny looked around the place slow, then turned to Jo-Dee. "Doesn't even look like the same place hardly."
"It might be cleaned up, but it's still the Bucket." She answered then climbed up on the stage, "Where's Dana?"
Blackie shrug his shoulders and sighed as he set the guitar he was tuning down, "I'm sick of waiting for him." He turned to Danny. "I called over to the hotel and Brett said he'd come over and help us run the sound check if Dana pulls another no-show. Is that okay with you?"
Danny nodded as he stepped up and picked up the guitar that Blackie just set down. "It's fine with me. What about Devin? Where is he?" He asked.
Blackie checked his watch, "He'll be here any minute. He picked Charlie up from the airport and is coming over as soon as he drops him off."
Jo-Dee looked around at the tables. "I don't see any place cards. I thought Dana was over here last night doing the seating?"
"Yeah, me too. I'm going to put the cards out while you warm up" Blackie answered as jumped off the stage.. "We can get started without Mike, he called to say he was on his way too. What do you want to warm up with?"
She sat down on the stool, and picked up the mic, "How about I'll be there for you."
He smiled as he began placing name cards at places on the tables. "Good choice."
Dana/Bucky's
Bucky rolled in the bed, expecting to drape his arm around his lover to find the bed empty, it was then that he heard Dana rummaging through the closet. "Damn! Damn! Damnit!" He cussed.
"What is it, honey?" Bucky groaned.
"You didn't pick up the dry cleaning did you?" The man chastised.
"I got off work at 7 am. It wasn't open. I'll get it before tonight."
"And what am I suppose to wear today?" He snapped as he pulled on a pair of faded jeans. "I never have any clean clothes."
Bucky pulled himself from the bed and stomped toward the closet. "Excuse me Mr. Agent to the stars, I'm sorry I didn't get your fucking laundry done, I happen to be busy saving lives and shit like that." He then reached into the closet and tossed the man a clean shirt."
"This is pink?"
Bucky turned back to his lover and opened one eye to look at it. "Actually, it's salmon. It looks very nice on you and who gives a fuck anyway."
He quickly buttoned it up. "I want my favorite blue one tonight. PLEASE can you pick up the dry cleaning before 4?"
"I told you I would, didn't I?" The man answered as he pulled the blanket up over his head.
Dana turned and slammed the bedroom door and quickly made his way into the living room, stuffing his feet into his shoes.
Sky stood in front of the door. "Why do you yell at him like that? He was working all night you know?"
Dana softened and touched the girl's cheek. "I know, honey. I'll make it up to him later."
"I know you weren't at Noah and Blackie's last night," She accused.
Internally Dana began to panic, but kept his cool smile. "I didn't say I was sweetie, I said I was working with them on the showcase. Why would I lie about that?"
Sky pushed her way past him as tears began to streak down her cheeks.
"Damnit, Sky!" He cursed at the door. "I don't have time for this now, I'm already late."
She pulled it open, but hid behind it, "Then just go! Just go away."
He faced his daughter, "Why don't you come with me, Sky? We haven't spent much time together in a long while. Let's have Daddy Daughter day."
"Yeah, I think I will. Here with Bucky," She snapped to him, as the surgeon staggered from the bedroom.
"What the hell is going on?" He asked.
"I don't have time for this!" Dana insisted. "Sweetie, we'll talk about this later, okay."
He then turned to Bucky and kissed him lightly. "I'm sorry, lover. I'm just under the gun here."
"I know. I know," Bucky answered as he hugged him, "And you're a mad man when you're stressed. It's okay, go on."
After the door shut, Sky looked to Bucky. Her heart was breaking, but she couldn't bring herself to tell what she knew. "He shouldn't act so mean to you and yell at you like that."
"No, no he shouldn't." Bucky answered as he draped his arm over the girl's shoulder and led her to the couch. After lighting a cigarette, he continued. "But he has a high stress job, and he doesn't handle stress very well."
"He leaves tomorrow. He should be spending time with you, with us." She snapped.
"He has to work, baby. He doesn't leave until tomorrow night, and we are spending the whole day together tomorrow. He promised."
"Yeah, whatever," she quipped.
Bucky sighed. "Sky, It's hard, I know. I hate it too. I hate the way he's been lately, but you know what I keep telling myself?"
"What?"
"He moved us here to Port Charles for you and for me. So we could be with our friends, and I could have a job I enjoy, and it made his work so much harder. He always use to travel, but now he's doing it three times at much and that's hard. Remember when I told you about how I lived in the city and he lived in LA."
Sky nodded.
"At least this way we have one bed that's ours, and one home that is ours and we just have to be patient with him. Come the fall, Rick is taking some time off and that is going to free up his schedule so much."
Sky nodded. It wasn't the traveling that was eating at her, it was her suspicion that Dana was cheating on Bucky, but telling Bucky that would only hurt him. She reached up and hugged the doctor's neck. "I love you, Bucky."
"Ohhh, I love you too, Sky. I do. But Sweetheart, I really need to get some more sleep." He said as he pushed out the cigarette in the ashtray.
She hugged him a little tighter, "Go ahead, Bucky."
"Wake me up by 1:00 so I can go get his dry cleaning?"
"Sure," she answered kissing his cheek then letting him go. She watched him go back to bed, then curled up in the corner of the couch and cried.
Devin/Charlie's
Charlie stumbled into their room just a few paces in front of his boyfriend and crossed to the bed. "I'm glad to see you're all packed." He laid down and looked back to his boyfriend. "Do you mind if I take a nap?"
Devin smiled at his good fortune and leaned over him kissing him lightly. "Go ahead. I need to get over to the Bucket for rehearsal anyway."
"Well, don't be gone all afternoon," Charlie smirked as he slid his hand up the inside of Devin's thigh.
The blond wiggled and laughed under the touch. "Just a couple hours. Then I'll come back and we can screw the afternoon away."
"Wonderful," the brown haired teen mumbled back against his lips. He then collapsed back down on the bed and exhaled as he closed his eyes.
"I'll be back soon," Devin answered as he picked up his keys and quickly left.
As soon as the door closed, Charlie sat up in the bed and reached for the phone dialing the number. "Joe? Hi, It's Charlie Taylor." After a brief pause, he continued. "Meet me at Kelly's in a half hour? Thanks, good-bye"
The Bucket
Dana walked the perimeter of the room, making notes on his pad as he listened to the trio sing in harmony on the stage. The drummer he had hired had been working well with them, and having Devin playing keyboards, gave him something to watch as well as gave him the perfect cover to be with his lover. When they finished the song, he spoke, "Thanks a lot, Brett. That's great." He then looked up to the stage. "Why do we have your family tables up front?"
Blackie answered flatly, "Cause that's what I want."
"Don't you think it would be smarter to have potential buyers close?"
"What they can't hear in the back?" Danny cracked.
"Yeah, Dana, you're the one forever telling us that they're not buying us they are buying the songs."
"I also now a lot of these musicians want to feel important, and they aren't going to feel that way shoved in the back of this room."
Blackie looked at his watch and set the guitar down, "Look, Dana, I want Noah right there when I sing the song for him." He pointed to the table just off the stage. "And I want Gran right next to him when I sing her song, and I want the people I love, the people I wrote about close to me. They are what's important. I don't care if some egomaniac feels less important cause -"
"Damn it all!" Dana interrupted. "This is a showcase of your talent and to sell your songs. It's not a performance. It's not about you singing a song you refuse to sell."
"You don't get a say in this Dana. After we finish with Drive on, Jo-Dee is singing I'm allright."
"I don't represent Jo-Dee." Dana screamed back.
"But you do represent me. Do you get that? You Work for me Dana. Jo-Dee is singing HER song tonight, then I'm singing Love Receiver just for Noah, and that is that!"
"FINE!" Dana interrupted, "That's fine, Blackie. Do it your way."
He jumped down, "I damn well will, Dana, cause it's the way we've been doing it for almost a month now."
Dana pushed his fingers through his hair and sighed. He couldn't defend himself, Blackie was right. "I'm sorry. I've really dropped the ball the last few weeks for you three. It's fine, Blackie. Everything will be fine."
"I know it will be. When do you want us here?"
"6:30, your guests are supposed to start arriving around seven and you start singing at eight. I want you here and dressed and ready to mill around talking to these people. Most of them you met at the Grammy's last year, though there are a few new names on the list."
Danny asked, "Then can we go. I want to spend some time with my wife."
"Yeah, yeah, go on guys."
As soon as the door had closed behind the trio, Devin began to cross the room. Dana held his hands up. The younger man stopped and frowned.
"Don't, Lover, don't do that."
"I just wanted to hold you again. Just for a minute, you're leaving tomorrow for weeks." He moaned.
Dana smiled and took a step toward Devin, touched his lightened hair and caressed his tanned cheek, "I'll miss you so much."
Devin stepped into his arms and hugged the man's chest burying his cheek against his shoulder. "Just hold me, Dana. Tell me it's going to be all right."
Dana lifted the man's chin and whispered, "It's going to be fine, lover. I promise we'll work it out."
Kelly's Diner
Charlie walked into the diner and crossed to the table where his friend's father sat talking to his colleague, Jake. "Hi, Joe," He greeted as he slipped into the seat. "So?" he asked nervously.
Joe dropped his head, and slid the manila envelope across the table. "I'm sorry, Charlie. I wish it were better news."
The brown haired teen opened the envelope and peeked in. His heart sank. He had expected as much, but it still cut at his heart. He pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to the man. "Thanks, Joe."
"Is there anything I can do?" The older man stammered.
He shook head. "It's alright, I needed to know." He then turned and left the diner.
Blackie/Noah's
Blackie parked the car and picked up his duffle bag from the seat next to him. He mentally went over the checklist in his head as he made his way up the stairs and into the house.
Noah quietly waited on the stairs watching as his lover, preoccupied, walked into the house and turned to go into the studio. He moved up behind his lover and turned him to the wall, pinning him to it with his body his mouth immediately going to his neck.
Blackie's heart jumped with the surprise, but he let his body melt into the surgeons as his strong hands caressed his body and his mouth suckled at his flesh. "My god, Noah." He panted.
"I want you," The doctor answered in a husky pant.
The bag he was carrying dropped from his hand, hitting the floor with a clunk as he whimpered with need.
"You like that idea don't you," He hissed as his hand slid around his body and began rubbing the other man's crotch.
His head flung back and an impassioned cry came from his mouth.
"I thought so," Noah snickered and then covered his lover's mouth with his own.
"Love you," Blackie panted when the kiss broke.
The doctor's only response was to turn his lover's body and repinned him to the wall kissing him even deeper.
When the kiss broke again, the younger man smiled wide. "What's this about?"
Noah spoke as he nibbled on his lover's soft lips, "It's about spending the afternoon making love to every inch of your sweet sweaty body so you don't have enough time to get nervous about tonight."
Blackie groaned as he gave into the building passion and thrust his hips to the other man's. "Give me a head start?"
Noah laughed as he stepped back and leaned against the other wall, "GO!" He continued as Blackie took off running through the studio. "One - two - three!" The doctor then followed, chasing the other man down the hall and into the bedroom.
On the bed, they laughed as their bodies became entwined. They reached and pulled at each other's clothes, pausing only to caress and kiss the other one.
Noah pushed his lover to his stomach and covered the body with his own. "You taste so damn good," He groaned as he placed wet kisses over the man's shoulder blades then slowly traced down his spine with his tongue.
Blackie's finger's tangled in the sheets beneath him as his body heaved with passion. His soul mate's teasing building his passion. He called his lover's name and let his legs slide open as the doctor's oral caresses moved from the soft flesh of his ass to his center.
Noah's finger's gripped the man's hips and his eyes closed. He had planned this as a distraction for Blackie, but now that he was in the throws of it, he was feeding his own hunger as well as invoking a deep need in his lover.
"Please. . . .doc," He panted and lifted his hips from the bed, trying to tell the surgeon what he didn't have the coherent mind to say.
Noah smiled as he slid his body back up his lover's, "You're beautiful, baby. So perfect, it feels so good," He groaned as he pushed himself inside the other's body.
Martin/Drew's
Cynthia knocked on the back door, and then let her self into the kitchen after she heard Martin call out to come in. Walking up the steps into the room, she found him busy humming happily to himself as he filled just sterilized bottles with formula. "Marty, dear," she greeted as she lifted Caroline from the floor to her hip and kissed the senator on the cheek. "How is everything going?"
"Just wonderful," he answered and returned the kiss to the woman. He then smiled to the toddler, fingering her red hair. "Caroline, you little angle, you going to spend the evening with me and Drew?"
The child smiled and nodded before laying her head on her mother's shoulder. "You sure you're up to this Marty. I know you have your hands full with your own angle. How is Tara doing?"
Martin wiped his hands on the dishtowel then opened his arms and took Caroline when she willingly came to him. "It's fine, Cynthia. I think between Drew and myself we can handle two children. And she's just doing beautiful," he smiled. "Want to take a peak."
"You know I do" She answered and followed the senator out into the living room.
The man stopped suddenly and shook his head, "And he claims I'm going to be the one to spoil her rotten," He mused when his eyes caught Drew rocking the tiny infant in his arms.
Cynthia smiled warmly, remembering what a wonderful father Drew had been to their kids. "He hasn't forgotten a thing I see."
"Can't get him to let her be." He spoke louder to his lover, "She was sleeping just fine in the bassinet, Roo bear."
"I didn't wake her up," He answered as he continued to slowly rock the child. After a moment he looked up and waved to Caroline, who blushed and buried her face in Martin's shoulder.
Cynthia laughed and leaned in and kissed the girl's cheek. "You be good for Uncle Martin and Drew Caroline, and Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."
"We'll be fine!" Martin insisted. "Everything in her bag?"
"Yes, it is. She hasn't had dinner yet. I hope that's okay."
"Of course. Of course. How about we have some Macaroni and Cheese? It's your cousin Randy's favorite?" He asked the girl.
Caroline smiled and nodded.
Martin turned "Go on, Cynthia, have a wonderful time tonight and give Blackie our love."
Danny/Claudia's
Danny slowly kissed his way up his wife's body. He paused at her stomach, and laid his cheek against her. "You've made me the happiest man alive, baby." He whispered.
"Are you talking to me?" The woman giggled.
He looked up her body, "Of course I am." He then slithered the rest of the way up, kissing her mouth.
Claudia retuned his kiss and answered. "Are we going to tell everyone after the showcase tonight?"
"Sounds good to me, maybe go to Kelly's or something to hang out after?"
"That sounds like fun. So then, what should we do now?"
Danny smiled. "How about what we just did?"
"Mmmmm, sounds good to me," She answered.
Noah/Blackie's
With his head on Noah's shoulder, Blackie's fingers grazed the man's chest as he read the paper over. He then laid it down and kissed his flesh. "It doesn't really surprise me, Doc."
"What do we do?" He asked.
"What do you want, Noah?" He asked looking up into his eyes.
"Even though it was actually a Worthington house, to me it's the Drake home," He mused out loud.
"Gran is the head of your family. That makes sense. But I think the warm home feeling you get there is about her more then anything."
"Oh, I know that," he conceded, after a pause he continued. "But I can't imagine Brodie never playing car crash off those steps or swimming in that pool."
"Or walking across the property to Henry's and going down to the fishing pond." Blackie continued.
"We keep it?" Noah asked.
Blackie nodded, "Yeah I think so."
Noah rolled his head and looked at the clock. "It's almost 5."
"I have to get up and get dressed."
"And I want you to eat something."
"Something real light. I can't perform on a full stomach." He rolled atop of Noah. "We can all go to Kelly's or something after?"
"That sounds like fun," Noah smiled.
"Should I wear my leather pants or denim with my chaps?" Blackie asked.
Noah groaned. "I love the denim/leather look myself."
"Okay. I'm going to pack my garment bag, and get dressed for the intro thing."
Noah kissed his forehead then scooted out from under him. "I'll fix you something light to eat."
Blackie stared up in the mirror a moment, then asked. "If it ends up Devin doesn't work out, do you think you could jump in?"
Noah stopped dead and turned around. "You think he might not?"
Blackie sighed, "I'm sure he'll be fine. It just doesn't feel right. I can't explain it."
Noah crossed back and kissed the man again. "It's just your nerves, baby. Just relax you're going to be great!!"
"Does it make sense to you, Doc? I mean Devin doesn't even like the kind of music I write. Why would Dana hire him to play?" The younger man asked as he moved from the bed to the closet.
Noah sat down on the edge of the bed and talked as he watched his lover pack. "You've said more then once he's gifted."
Blackie shrugged, "at the music he writes. I'm sure he's going to be fine. It will all be fine."
Reaching out and taking his lover's hand, the doctor brought it back to his lips and kissed it. "Just think of it as playing for your family and friends, baby."
He spoke through a shy smile. "You're probably right. It's probably just my nerves."
Noah stood and went to the man, taking him in his arms and kissing him lightly. "I know that's it. Go take you shower while I make you a bowl of soup."
"Thanks, Noah." He hugged the man's waist and laid his head against his shoulder. "Thank you for being right here for me."
Bucky/Dana's
Dana came from the bedroom buttoning his shirt. He leaned over the back of the couch and kissed the girl's forehead. "Have you seen my dark blue tie, Honey?"
She slumped away and pointed to the coat rack. "You left in there when you came in this morning."
Dana sagged, and rounded the couch. Sitting down next to her he lifted her chin. "I was going to wait till tonight, but here." He lifted his jacket up, motioning to the inside pocket.
"What?" She asked.
"Quit busting my chops, would you? There is a gift there."
She pushed up and reached into the pocket coming back with a small velvet box. She opened it to find a locket. "It's very pretty, daddy."
"Open it," Dana smiled.
She did to find a picture of him on one side and her on the other.
"I know I've been crazy lately, sweetheart. But I'm always here for you. I promise you that."
Noticing the missing piece of their family, but grateful or his declaration that he wouldn't just abandon her, she put the locket on. "Thanks you, Daddy."
"Hey now, don't I get a kiss and a hug?"
She smiled and complied with the man's request. "I love you so much," She whispered. "Both Bucky and I do."
The blond pulled back. "You two are my family, sweetheart. I love you guys too. Why don't you come with me tonight and be my buddy backstage."
She shook her head, "I have plans with Jay, Alfie, Lori and Rosa."
"We have tomorrow, right?"
"I wouldn't miss it."
"Okay, good. I have to get moving. Tell Bucky I'll see him down there?"
She nodded. "I will."
The Webber's
Rosa and Lori walked up the steps to the house laughing and talking. The blond knocked on the door and waited. A few minutes later Jay came out of the house and closed the door behind him. "Come on, girls, let's go."
Lori took his arm and led him to the bench on the porch. "What's the matter, Jay?"
He shrugged and pushed his hands into the pocket of his army jacket.
Rosa laid an arm over his shoulder and spoke, her accent still thick though her broken English was improving. "What Alfie do now?"
Jay smiled at her, "I told him we'd come pick him up and he said he'd just go to Sky's and we could meet him there."
Lori sagged, "I promised Noah I wouldn't get in a car with him driving, Jay. That's why we worked out so I would drive."
"What am I suppose to do? I told him you would drive and he got snippety said he's spending every penny he makes paying for his car, he wanted to drive it."
"Was he drinking?" Lori asked.
Jay shook his head, "I don't think so. Let's just go over to Sky's and see. If he's sober, we let him drive and if he's not, well, then he can ride with us or not go at all?" Jay offered.
"Okay," Lori hesitantly answered.
Bucky/Dana's
As Bucky opened the apartment door to leave, he found Alfie waiting to knock.
"Hi, Dr. Carter." The teenager greeted. "Is Sky ready?"
"She will be in a minute," He answered holding the door. "Come on in. I have to get going, you kids have fun tonight." He then called out, "Sky, Alfie is here!" He said before leaving the apartment.
Alfie walked over and sat down on the couch. From his jacket he pulled out a small bottle of cola, and drank from it.
"What ya drinking?"
He turned sharply, and smiled at the girl, "Just a Pepsi. God, you're starting to sound like Jay."
She sat down next to him, and reached out. "Can I have a drink?"
Afraid he was about to be busted, he offered it and tried to guilt her out of taking it. "You're not afraid of cooties? Or is it you just don't trust me."
The girl frowned, "Of course I trust you, Alfie. You, Jay, Lori, and Rosa are like about the only ones I can trust."
"What's the matter?" He asked.
"I think my Dad is screwing around on Bucky."
Alfie frowned and then hugged the girl. "That sucks! What are you going to do?"
She curled into his embrace. "What can I do? I just don't want to think about it."
"Maybe you don't have to?" Alfie whispered.
"What do you mean?" She asked, cuddling tighter to his shoulder.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small vile. "This has been helping me forget."
Sky took the vile and opened it, dumping a bit of the course white powder on the back of her hand. The images from her past flashed through her brain, and how hard she had fought to get clean.. She also remembered the exhilaration she felt from the high, and how bad she had felt the last couple weeks. Slowly she brought her trembling hand to her nose and inhaled the powder. She then fell back into Alfie's embrace and pushed the vile back in his pocket.. "Thanks, Alfie."
"We'll go to this movie and have a lot of fun together. It'll be okay, Sky."
"I hope so," she answered.
"How can it not be? We got 90 minutes of looking at Rob Lowe." Alfie teased.
"St. Elmo's Fire? Is that what we decided on?"
"Uh-hu. The others should be here any minute. You want to go downstairs and wait for them."
"Yeah, let's go."
Charlie/Devin's
Devin looked in the mirror as he fiddled with the tie he was trying to tie. His eyes, however, were on Charlie. The other teen was sitting in the corner of the couch, his knees drawn into his body and he stared coldly at him. He looked back to the think blue satin tie in his hands. God, he hated it, it was so pop culture, but Dana had given it to him earlier and he knew it would make the older man smile. So he tied a loose square knot low, leaving two buttons undone. He turned toward his boyfriend, and extended his arms. "How do I look, baby?"
"I don't even recognize you," Charlie mumbled as he took in the other. His hair was bleached, his skin dark tan and he was wearing clothes that he hated, and canvas loafers without socks. He was the spitting image of all that Devin thumbed his nose at. What he would call "giving in to trends."
"Awe, come on, Charlie." He whined. "I got to play the part."
"Why?" He asked. "You hate trends, and you hate pop music."
Devin sighed, "Dana asked me to. He thinks it will ground Blackie to have friends around him. You know how he gets."
Charlie cussed internally. 'Why does he have to lie?' he asked himself. 'I could always count on Devin to be honest if nothing else.' He dug deep inside him, hoping to himself that his first boyfriend and first real love would realize what they had once had. 'If he can come clean, maybe we have a chance.' He thought to himself as he walked across the room and took Devin's hands. Staring deep into the man's eyes, he asked. "Babe, Are you cheating on me?"
Devin pulled his hands away and spun on his heels. "God Damn it! I'm so sick of this Charlie. How many times do I have to tell you I'm not? You really have to learn to trust me, you know."
The dark haired man spun away and crossed the room. Picking up the manila envelope off the table. "We really need to get going."
Noticing it for the first time, Devin asked. "What's that?"
"Nothing really, just some pictures I wanted to share."
Devin shrugged, "Okay, let's go."
The Bucket of Blood
Danny and Jo-Dee crossed the room, and tapped Blackie on the shoulder. The dark haired man turned from whom he was speaking with.
"Oh Danny, I'd like you to meet George Michael. George, this is my partner Danny Higgins."
Danny begrudgingly shook the man's hand and smiled, then turned to his friend. "Dana's having a fucking cow back there. He says quote 'You need to get your ass backstage and answer some fucking questions' quote."
Blackie smiled wider to cover his embarrassment. He checked his watch and said, "I guess it is getting close to time to go. I hope you enjoy the songs." He then turned and started for the stage. "What the hell as crawled up the son of a bitch's ass now?" He asked his two friends.
Jo-Dee frowned. "He's saying I can't sing my song again."
"And he's cutting your finale," Danny added.
"Son-of-a-bitch!!" He paused, and then said, "Tell him I'm on my way. I want to speak to Gran and kiss Noah first."
Danny sighed, "Geez, Blackie it's only going to be 90 minutes."
"I'll be right there!" He insisted, then hugged Jo-Dee, "You're doing your song, Red. He can't stop it. He works for us, even though he forgets that." Blackie then turned and went to the table, just in time to hold Nancy's chair for her. "You comfortable, Gran?"
"Of course, sweet heart." She answered.
He then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "The first song I'm doing tonight is for you Gran." He kissed her cheek, "I love you."
The woman reached over her shoulder taking his hand and kissing the back of it, "I love you too, baby." She replied.
He then leaned over and kissed Noah's lips softly, "And the very last one is for you. You're my everything,"
Noah let his hand graze his cheek, "And you're mine. Have a blast, baby."
He moved down to the end of the table, and pulled Stacy's hair over her shoulder as he leaned over. He saw that she had the folders clenched in her hands under the table. He rubbed her shoulders, "It's okay, sweetie. Just remember what I said."
"This feels so weird, Blackie."
"It's what's best, Stacy. It is. When I give you the signal, you do just what I told you to do. Okay."
She nodded, "Of course, Blackie. What ever you say."
He then turned and went back behind the curtain they had put up to produce a makeshift backstage. He walked over to the dressing area and opened his garment bag as Dana began yelling.
"Blackie, I want you to just end it on Drive On. I've been thinking about it all day, and it's the perfect ending."
He turned and began unbuttoning the shirt he was wearing. "No. Dana, please, no power trips, okay. Danny and I need to do things are way."
"What in the hell are you doing?" He asked as the man took off his shirt and slipped on the leather vest.
"Changing for the stage." Blackie answered as he then reached for his chaps and put them on over his jeans.
"HELL NO!" Dana answered. "When are you going to get it though that skull of yours that you are not a performer? You are a songwriter. You want to be taken seriously you need to dress the part.
"I am who I am, Dana." He answered back. "This is me. It's about the music, and the music is the same whether I'm dressed comfortably or dressed like a stiff." He turned to the others, "Come on, let's go."
As the three singers, and the hired drummer started for the stage, Dana grabbed Devin's arm. He then leaned in and said, "As soon as the chick sings her song, you leave the stage. Make sure Mike knows to do the same."
"Okay, Dana, I will," He answered, the puckered his lips slightly.
The manager smiled and gave him a shove to the stage.
The band, Jo-Dee and Danny stayed back in the shadows as Blackie walked up to the center. Picking up his acoustic guitar he sat on the stool in the center.
Noah looked up at his lover, bathed in the soft spot light and couldn't help but smile. Blackie had come so far since the accident and now looked every bit as healthy as he did the night he won his Grammy.
Blackie adjusted the mic, and spoke. "Thank you everyone for coming tonight. For those of you who don't know, I'm Blackie Kelly. I'll introduce the others here in few minutes, but first I'd like to sing you a song I wrote for a very special woman in my life. She's right up front here." He then looked down at Nancy and smiled, "For you, Gran."
Softly he began to strum the chords before he sang,
"It's the way that you sneak a Kleenex to me
When a sad song gets in my eye
You say it's alright, you got no appetite
When it's down to the last piece of pie
It's the way that you never remember
The things I would rather forget
How you grin and shrug your shoulders
When it's time to start over again"
Nancy smiled and wiped the single tear that strayed down her cheek. Life wasn't always easy and for as much as she lost, a husband and a child, it meant so much to hear what her children and grandchildren had told her so many times in song.
"God must be a woman
You're probably a lot like her
Your grace is so amazing
An angel here on earth
You're so much like your maker
She sent you down to lay a crown on me
God must be a woman
Only mamas have a love that runs so deep
Watching out for drunks and babies and fools
And castaways like me"
Noah smiled though his own emotion. The way Blackie expressed his own emotion in song was always amazing to him, but this time he had not only told his heart, but Noah's as well. When the young singer caught his eye, the doctor mouthed back, "I love you."
Blackie smiled and winked before he continued.
Some heavenly rain must soak in your brain
And come out as the sweet things you say
You stitch me back up when life plays too rough
Give my hand a little squeeze when we pray
And the 'I love you's' that you told me
They would probably stretch to the moon
You multiply what matters
And divide the pain by two.
"God must be a woman
You're probably a lot like her
Your grace is so amazing
An angel here on earth
You're so much like your maker
She sent you down to lay a crown on me
God must be a woman
Only mamas have a love that runs so deep
Watching out for drunks and babies and fools
And castaways like me.
Blackie strummed the final chords, and then stood, and walked to the edge of the stage, reaching down for the elderly woman's hand and squeezing it as the room erupted in applause. After mouthing a "I love you," to the woman, he walked back to the microphone and pointed to the curtain, saying each name as they came out. "Our Drummer for tonight, Mike Barid. . . Keybords, Devin Kincaid. . .. Helping us out on vocals, Jo-Dee Messina, and my friend and partner, Danny Higgins."
The three picked up guitars, and looked to each other. As the applause died back down, Jo-Dee stepped up to the microphone and announced the song, "No one is to blame."
To be continued. . . . .