mkk59
Wicked Fan
Posts: 94
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Post by mkk59 on Jan 11, 2014 16:18:50 GMT -5
I can't help but feel for both Freddie and Neil but I think I feel worse for the lads and the band. All they want is to help those that they love. Worst of all is poor Dave. Stuck at home with no way to help.
Well written as always Onyx. Can't wait to read more!
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Post by celticbear on Jan 11, 2014 19:08:40 GMT -5
I feel bad for everybody! I do believe the time is coming that both Neil and Freddie need to confront their shared past together! And I believe Sharon needs to get involved to achieve this goal! If something does not give soon the whole tour is ruined! And I don't want Neil to loose Nicole because if this mess!
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Post by barbt on Jan 11, 2014 20:19:23 GMT -5
That's pretty much what I figured had motivated Neil back then. And the only way out is to take a very high road He only fixed part of himself before.
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Jan 13, 2014 9:00:36 GMT -5
It didn’t take Freddie long to fall into a routine. She would work out, rehearse, perform, and sleep. Sometimes she ate but more often than not she would forget and it didn’t take long for her brutal routine to take its toll.
“If you don’t stop losing weight I’m not going to be able to keep up with your alterations,” scolded Candice.
Freddie twisted her hands nervously. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry, go eat a sandwich!” Even though she felt bad Freddie did not do as Candice ordered, she went for a run instead.
Each day the young woman closed herself off more and more, pushing those around her away and fading more deeply into the background. To anyone on the outside nothing was amiss. Every note was perfectly played during the shows, she kept her Facebook and Twitter feeds updated, she was always smiling and having fun during the soundcheck parties, and if any fans recognized her outside of the venue she was always happy to chat and take pictures with them.
To those who knew her they could tell that it was only a matter of time before she fell apart. No one could keep up with such a punishing routine but Freddie refused to let anyone help her. She refused to speak unless spoken to and would not look anyone in the eye. Most of her days were spent hiding in a dressing room with her guitar and headphones.
While most of the group wondered how to help her Neil, on the other hand, was thrilled. He had been wondering what he was going to do about the nightmare from his past. Obviously he couldn’t force her to quit, they were too far into the tour for that but he knew there had to be a way to get her out of the way. Freddie had done him a favor and isolated herself and Neil knew it was only a matter of time before those around her got sick of her behavior and gave up. It had happened while they were in school and he knew it would happen again.
Neil neglected to realize that his behavior had failed to change around Freddie. Every time he was nearby the young woman would jump and scurry away. Even though he knew better he thought this reaction was hilarious and couldn’t keep himself from playing it up.
One day he stood behind her while she was fixing a cup of tea and he couldn’t help but laugh when Freddie realized he was there. She shrieked and dropped her tea then couldn’t decide whether to be mortified about her reaction or her mess.
As he stood to the side chuckling he didn’t notice when Nicole stepped up next to him. “What’s so funny?”
“It looks like Freddie had a little accident.”
“Why don’t you help her clean up the mess?”
“Why? I didn’t do anything. It’s not my fault she’s so clumsy.”
Nicole shook her head then hurried over to help Freddie clean up the spill. The violinist was at her wits’ end. She knew her band mate was punishing herself in an attempt to make up for sharing her tale with everyone. No one could get close to her and it was only a matter of time before she broke under the pressure.
Neil wasn’t helping either. He acted like nothing was wrong but what was worse was the fact that he treated Freddie as if she was below him. The young woman avoided him at all costs but somehow Neil still found ways to make her miserable yet he acted like everything was fine and any errors were her fault. Nicole knew better. She often heard Freddie trying to muffle her sobs on the bus and she knew the young woman wasn’t sleeping or even eating. Most nights she would curl up on one of the couches with her headphones, too scared to sleep and too ashamed of her predicament to turn to anyone else.
The only thing keeping Freddie sane were long conversations with Dave via Skype, e-mails, and texts. But Dave wasn’t always available and there was no one else to help the troubled young woman.
Nicole didn’t know what to do. She was afraid that she was going to lose Freddie but she feared she was also going to lose Neil as well. When she looked at him she no longer recognized the young man staring back at her. It was only a matter of time before this precarious situation came crashing down around them and she hoped that the group was strong enough to survive the blow.
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After a brutal run of twelve shows in thirteen days the group was given not one but two entire days off. By some miracle Freddie managed to secure a single room in the hotel but she didn’t care, she planned on staying in bed for their two days off and could care less whether or not she had a roommate.
She was not pleased when she was awakened by the incessant ringing of her cell phone early on the first morning of their break. Without even looking at the screen she silenced the call only to have the device starting ringing once more. Finally she gave up and turned it off.
Someone seemed to desperately need her attention because seconds after silencing her phone the knocking on her door began. Cursing a blue streak under her breath she stomped to the door and threw it open.
“What?” she barked.
“You were right when you said you weren’t a morning person.”
Freddie’s jaw dropped when she realized that Dave was standing in front of her. “Davie? What are you doing here?”
“I came to kidnap you.” He squeezed past the dumbstruck young woman and made himself comfortable in one of the room’s chairs.
After a moment Freddie closed the door and ran a hand through her hair. “I don’t understand.”
“The last time we talked it sounded to me like you could use a friend right about now so I figured that I’d come and check up on you.”
“But I...wait...who else knows that you’re here?”
“No one. Well, Sharon knows that I’m here but I asked her to keep it quiet. I wanted to surprise you.”
“Why?”
“Like I said, I thought you could use a friend.”
The young woman felt tears sting her eyes. “You flew all of the way from Philly to see me?”
Dave smiled. “Don’t act so surprised. Now get ready, I want to sneak out of here before everyone else gets up.”
Freddie got ready at top speed and twenty minutes later she and Dave were walking out into the bright sunshine. They had been rolling through Texas and were spending their downtime in Austin. The group didn’t have a show in the city but Sharon knew how much everyone enjoyed this particular town and had chosen to given them their rare time off here.
Dave had been to the city on a previous tour and had a surprisingly good memory. He led Freddie to a tiny hole-in-the-wall restaurant for breakfast and pretty much forced her to have the first proper meal she’d had in days.
“There’s no way I can eat all of that,” said Freddie as the waitress placed a massive plate in front of her.
“Once you try the food here you might change your mind.”
The young woman raised an eyebrow and dug in. Dave was right and the food was incredible. Freddie ate until she was stuffed and felt a tiny bit of the weight on her shoulders disappear. Dave never brought up any of the issues that she was having, he kept the conversation light and caught her up on his rehab and the newest events in his life.
For the first time in weeks Freddie smiled and laughed as if she didn’t have a care in the world. She was still shocked that Dave had flown all of the way to Texas to see her but at the same time she was touched. She had no idea that the young man cared so much about her.
After breakfast they wandered around the downtown area and eventually ended up in a music store. Dave laughed as Freddie’s eyes lit up when she saw the walls of vintage guitars.
“Do you play?” asked the shop owner.
They both nodded. “Yes, we both play.”
“Feel free to try any of them out.”
Dave still wasn’t up to playing and the brace on his hand made even holding a guitar nearly impossible. He watched as Freddie took her time wandering the rows, touching the necks and strings of practically every guitar before one caught her eye. It was a Gibson, her favorite acoustic brand, and it wasn’t that old but she could tell it had been well loved. She guessed that it had been customized as well. The body was a dark cherry cola color with flowers and vines embossed into the body that flowed across the soundboard right into the neck.
Sitting down she strummed the strings and was surprised to hear that it was perfectly tuned. Closing her eyes she played. There wasn’t a particular song that she was searching for, she just allowed the music to flow out of her.
Freddie wasn’t sure how long she played but when she opened her eyes she realized that she had an audience. Blushing at the applause, she ducked her head and pretended not to notice the attention.
“That was beautiful,” said Dave. The young woman waved him off but he caught her arm to hold her gaze. “No, I mean it. I knew you could play but that was incredible.”
“Thank you.”
“Your friend is right,” said the shop owner. “I’ve had dozens of people come in and play that guitar but no one has made her sing like that.”
Freddie glanced down at the beautiful instrument in her hands. “She’s amazing. I’ve never played anything like this and I own nine Gibsons. Where did you get it?”
“I had it custom built for my daughter’s sweet sixteen. I lost her about ten years ago. It took me awhile to bring it into the shop but it seemed like a shame to let such a beautiful guitar just sit and gather dust.”
“You should get it,” urged Dave.
Swallowing hard Freddie shook her head. “I can’t, this guitar is a part of your family.”
“That guitar deserves to be played and you, my dear, play as beautifully as my babygirl did,” said the shop owner, his voice thick with emotion.
She glanced at Dave and the young man nodded. “If you don’t get that guitar I’m going to fly back to Philly right now and never speak to you again.”
Laughing, Freddie finally relented. “Okay, I’ll take it.”
When the shop owner told her the price her jaw dropped for the second time that day, he was practically giving her the guitar. When she tried to protest the older man just smiled and shook his head. He placed the guitar in a pristine case with a beautiful ruby, red lining before handing it over to the awestruck young woman.
“What was your daughter’s name?” asked Freddie.
“Charlotte.”
“Then I think this guitar should carry her legacy. Thank you again.” Shaking the owner’s hand Freddie picked up her newest purchase and headed outside with Dave.
“When I’m better you’ll have to let me play her,” said the young man.
“We’ll see,” replied Freddie with a sly grin.
Dave led them out of the main downtown area towards a local park. The sun wasn’t quite as harsh under the dense trees and the area was relatively deserted. The two were quiet as they walked and Dave surprised Freddie once more by gently lacing the fingers of his good hand with hers. The young woman glanced over in surprise but Dave just kept walking.
“You said you had nine Gibsons,” started Dave. “How many guitars do you have?”
“With the addition of Charlotte I now have twenty one.”
“Impressive. Where do you keep them all?”
“Since I’ve been in school and traveling around so much they currently reside in my brother’s house in New York. He has a beautiful music room, his wife is a pianist, and they’re the current decoration. I don’t know what he’s going to do when I finally settle down and get a place of my own.”
Dave chuckled. “How much older is he?”
“Five years older but I swear he acts like he’s Lilly’s age most of the time.”
“Lilly?”
At the mention of the child’s name Freddie smiled. “She’s their four year old, my only niece who I spoil rotten and is the love of my life.” Leading them to sit down on a nearby bench Freddie placed her guitar case between them on the ground but didn’t let go of Dave’s hand.
“What’s your brother like?”
The young woman paused and cocked her head to the side as she considered the question. “He’s very kind and very driven but he always makes time for his family. He has a big heart and is one of the smartest people that I know. He’s also a prankster and still enjoys tormenting me. I’m hoping that one of these days he’ll realize that I am a grown woman but at the same time it’s kind of nice having an overprotective big brother.”
Reaching forward, Dave gently tucked a piece of hair behind Freddie’s ear. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t get me wrong, I love Roberto but sometimes he still treats me like a child.”
“I’m sure he’s just looking out for you.”
Freddie sighed. “I’m sure he is. He might not approve of all of my decisions but he always has my back no matter what.”
Dave raised an eyebrow. “What kind of decisions wouldn’t he approve of?”
“Well...” Freddie started then bit her bottom lip nervously. “He might not approve of this.” Leaning forward she paused then softly brushed her lips against Dave’s. She started to pull away but Dave sank his fingers into her hair and pulled her closer for a proper kiss.
As they finally pulled apart Dave smiled and gently stroked her cheek. “Okay...I can understand why your big brother wouldn’t approve of that.”
Freddie rolled her eyes and shoved the musician’s shoulder. “Be nice or I won’t let you play my new guitar.” Dave tried to look sullen and Freddie kissed away his pout. “Oh stop it.”
The two stood and started to walk away when Freddie suddenly stopped. She carefully placed her guitar case on the ground then turned to Dave with a serious expression. “Tell me the truth, why did you fly all of the way down here?”
Dave slid his arms around her waist and smiled when her arms wrapped around his shoulders. “Besides getting the chance to finally kiss you?”
“I’m serious.”
“I’m worried about you. I know things haven’t been easy lately and I hated just sitting at home not being able to do anything.”
Freddie turned her eyes away. “You didn’t have to come just because of me.”
Taking her chin in his hand Dave tilted her head up. “Yes I did. Freddie, I care about you and I want to help you.”
“Why?”
“Because I believe you. I know you wouldn’t just make up a story like that. And you’re not the only one who has noticed that Neil’s changed.”
The young woman’s dark eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
“I talk to Keith nearly as much as I talk to you, he’s one of my best friends and he’s noticed the change in Neil ever since he recognized you. Keith says that he snaps at everyone and has a hard time controlling his temper, even with Nicole. Keith thinks that she’s going to break up with him but has a feeling if she does he’ll just lose it.” Even in the warm sun he could feel Freddie start to tremble in his arms. “Keith’s worried about you too, all of the lads are and so are the band members. They say that you won’t speak, you won’t eat, you just push them all away. Is this true?” Slowly Freddie nodded her head. “Why?”
“Because things were fine until I opened my big mouth. Even after Neil recognized me I should have just stayed quiet. I shouldn’t have told anyone about our past then things wouldn’t have changed. Neil wouldn’t have to be so defensive and no one would look at us any differently.”
Dave frowned. “What?”
“People don’t know who to believe. Neil is such a nice guy that they can’t imagine that he would do that to anyone but at the same time they wonder if my story really could be true. It’s such a mess, Davie. I just want to quit and go home.”
Freddie buried her face in the crook of his neck and he held her tightly. “I know and if I was in your shoes I would probably have quit by now and let Sharon figure out how to fix the mess. Just know that you’re not alone, Freddie. No one hates you and yes, they might be confused but no one is going to choose sides.”
“What am I going to do?”
“You’re going to do exactly what Neil has been doing: pretend like nothing is wrong. Hold your head up high and stop punishing yourself. If someone decides that they don’t believe you then that is their problem. You know that you’re telling the truth, I know that you’re telling the truth and that’s all that matters.”
Raising her head Freddie met Dave’s eyes. “Why do you believe me? You know Neil, you’ve toured with him. Why should you believe my story?”
Dave smiled. “Yes, I do know Neil but I also know you. I trust you. You were the only one willing to listen to me when I was worried about my job and so depressed at the beginning of the tour. No one, not even Keith, was willing to sit and listen to me whine and moan but you did. I know that you wouldn’t just make up a story like this. What do you have to gain by lying? I believe you, Freddie, and I know that you’ll be able to make it until the end of the tour.”
The young woman’s bottom lip trembled. “But what if it all comes crashing down?”
“Let it. You didn’t do anything wrong and if the machine that is Celtic Thunder comes to a grinding halt because of this then it wasn’t as strong or as durable as everyone thought.”
Freddie sighed. “I’m so tired. I’m so tired of all of this.” She let her head rest on Dave’s shoulder once more.
“I know...I know...” Dave slowly rubbed her back and tried to lend her as much strength as he could.
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mkk59
Wicked Fan
Posts: 94
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Post by mkk59 on Jan 13, 2014 12:25:47 GMT -5
Yes! They finally kissed! I'm beyond ecstatic that Dave came out! He is just what Freddie needed!
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Post by barbt on Jan 13, 2014 18:24:19 GMT -5
Good for Dave! Neil, on the other hand...I can't say what I'm thinking here!
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Post by celticbear on Jan 14, 2014 23:16:49 GMT -5
Dave showing up is just what Freddie needed! Love the kiss and the advice Dave gave her! As for Neil he is acting like a spoiled brat! This whole mess needs to be fixed SOON!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Jan 15, 2014 9:21:00 GMT -5
Freddie and Dave returned to the hotel hours later. They had spent most of the afternoon just wandering around, not talking much but just enjoying each others’ company. Before they even walked into the building they could hear the noise and realized that a good portion of the cast and crew were in the lobby. Freddie stiffened but Dave squeezed her hand in support and led her inside.
“Dave?” They hadn’t been in the building more than ten seconds before Keith spotted them. Soon the guitarist was swept into the madness but he didn’t let Freddie go far.
“What are you doing here?” asked the surfer after Dave had made the rounds.
“I came to see Freddie.” The blatant phrase surprised everyone, including Freddie.
A few people exchanged glances and Neil rolled his eyes. Seana thought it was sweet and said as much. “I didn’t know you two were an item! How long has this been going on?”
Dave blushed and wrapped his arm around Freddie’s waist. “Officially? About four hours.”
Colm whooped. “You’ve been in town less than a day and already got the girl. Nicely done, mate.”
The group made plans to meet later for dinner at the hotel’s restaurant then went their various ways. Quite a few people stayed around to talk with Dave and they all noticed how he never left Freddie’s side. The display of support was surprising yet powerful and as the evening wore on people were starting to question themselves. They wanted to believe Neil but if Freddie wasn’t telling the truth then why would Dave fly all of the way to Texas to stand by her side?
“Are you sure you’re up to this?” asked Dave.
Freddie was finishing getting ready and nodded at his reflection in the mirror as she put on her earrings. “I don’t want to but you’re right. I need to act like nothing’s wrong and let them draw their own conclusions.” Most of the cast and crew had reserved a massive section of the dining room downstairs so they could all eat together and celebrate Dave’s visit.
Stepping up behind her, Dave wrapped his arms around her waist. “I’m proud of you. I’m not sure I’d be brave enough to do this.”
“I don’t think I’m brave enough but I have to try.” Dave smiled and pressed a kiss to Freddie’s neck. The young woman turned in his embrace and smiled. “You make me brave.” It was Dave’s turn to blush and he held the young woman for a long moment before leading her downstairs.
Dave and Freddie sat near the head of the table where Keith was holding court. Colm and Emmet sat directly across from them and Kieran sat next to Dave. The guitarist had done his best to keep Freddie as far away from Neil no matter where he sat.
A few minutes later Nicole and Neil made their entrance and everyone could tell that neither one was happy. It was obvious that they had been fighting again. Nicole tried to brush it off and Neil made a point of sitting as far away from Freddie as possible.
During the meal Freddie didn’t say much but she tried to keep a smile on her face. The conversation was light and Dave was the main focus. “Do you think you’ll be able to join me after the tour for my solo gigs?” Keith asked.
Dave shook his head. “I doubt it. My therapy is coming along but I don’t know if I’ll have the strength for an entire gig. I can barely even hold a guitar right now and even basic chords exhaust me.” The musician paused and glanced around the table. “Maybe Freddie could accompany you.”
The young woman nearly choked on her drink. “Me?”
“Why not? You’re a brilliant guitarist, maybe even better than me.”
Freddie didn’t reply and an uneasy silence fell over the group.
“Wouldn’t you rather have Kieran instead?” No one was particularly surprised when that comment came from Neil.
“I can’t do it,” said Kieran. “I have a couple of gigs back home already lined up.”
“Personally, I would love to have Freddie tour with me,” said Keith after taking a swig of his beer. “I just have one question for you.”
“What’s that?” Beneath the table Freddie squeezed Dave’s hand, suddenly worried about what was going to come out of Keith’s mouth.
“Will you let me play your new guitar?”
For the first time in weeks the group heard Freddie laugh. “I don’t know, Keith. That might be a deal breaker.”
“Please?”
Freddie took a sip of her wine. “Why do you want to play it? You haven’t even seen it. For all you know it could be a piece of junk.”
“I’ve seen your guitars and I know you would never buy a pice of junk.”
“And it’s a new toy and Keith won’t shut up until he’s played with it,” quipped Ryan. “Please, for the sake of our sanity, let the lad play your guitar.”
“Well...I suppose...” Freddie replied. Glancing over she caught Dave smiling at her and returned the gesture. She had been terrified that those around her hated her, would judge her but it seemed like they didn’t care and if they did they were hiding it well. Perhaps it was because Dave was there to act as a buffer but tonight she wasn’t going to worry about the whirlwind of problems surround her, she was going to have a good time and enjoy herself.
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“That’s disgusting.” Nicole followed Neil’s line of vision and rolled her eyes so hard that she could practically see herself think.
Somehow Dave had lured Freddie out onto the dance floor of the bar that was adjacent to the restaurant. Neither one could dance very well but it was obvious that they were having such a good time that they didn’t care. Dave tried to twirl Freddie but the young woman stumbled and fell into his arms. They both laughed and Dave kissed her smile.
The sight lifted Nicole’s spirits a bit. Freddie had been so depressed lately that it was frightening and she was glad to see the young woman smiling and laughing again.
The scene had the absolute opposite effect on Neil. He had lost count of how many drinks he had consumed over the course of the evening and the alcohol was taking its toll. His opinions more or less just waltzed out of his mouth without stopping to consult with his brain first.
“What can he possibly see in her?” slurred Neil while finishing off his drink and signaling for another.
“I think it’s sweet. Freddie deserves to be happy.”
The singer snorted. “She doesn’t deserve him. He’s far too good for her.”
“I think they’re good for each other. It’s obvious that she makes him happy and Dave’s been the first one that’s been able to pull her out of that dark mood in weeks.” “Since when are you on her side?” Neil snapped.
Nicole frowned. “I’m not choosing sides. I’m just saying that it’s good to see Freddie smiling again.” Lowering her voice the violinist leaned closer. “What do you have against her anyway? She never did anything to you.”
Neil snorted. “Don’t get me started. She’s been nothing but a pain in my side since I was fourteen.”
“Okay, that’s it. I’m done.” Nicole stood and stalked off.
Neil hastily paid their tab and rushed after her. “Nic, wait.”
The young woman stopped outside on the small terrace and spun to face her boyfriend. “I can’t take this anymore.”
“Take what?” asked Neil.
“You’re so mean to her!”
“Who? Freddie? I’m not mean to her, I never even talk to her.”
“That’s what I mean. You don’t even try to talk to her, to be her friend. After everything that you both have been through that’s the least you could do.”
“So she goes and spreads these vicious lies about me and I’m supposed to suddenly be friends with her?”
Nicole shook her head. “Were they really lies, Neil? Ever since the day that you recognized her you’ve been different. You drink too much, you snap at everyone...I don’t even know who you are anymore.”
The young woman turned away and swallowed back tears. Neil took a tentative step towards her. “What are you saying?”
“Until you get this mess figured out...I...I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
Neil felt his stomach lurch. “Nicole, please. Don’t do this.”
“Leave me alone, Neil. I can’t do this. I can’t pretend I’m in love with a stranger.”
The musician quickly walked away and even though Neil desperately wanted to race after her something held him in place. He slowly sank into one of the chairs on the terrace and swallowed hard as his insides churned.
After ten years of love and companionship Nicole had just pushed him out of her life. It didn’t feel real and he prayed that this was some type of nightmare that he would wake up from at any moment.
Speaking of nightmares...
Quickly Neil lurched to his feet and headed inside straight for the dance floor. Dave was sitting at the bar and Neil roughly grabbed his shoulder. “Where is she?”
“Where is who?”
“Freddie. Where is she?”
“She went upstairs to change her shoes. Are you alright?” Neil didn’t reply, he just turned and headed towards the elevators.
Freddie tossed her heels into her bag and was searching for a pair of flats when someone suddenly started pounding on her door. She immediately regretted opening the door when she saw the expression on Neil’s face.
“Neil? What’s going on?” she asked while taking several steps backwards.
“You! This is all your fault!”
“Neil, calm down.” She held her hands in front of her as she backed up.
“You’ve been nothing but trouble ever since you showed up. You should have offed yourself in school and done us all a favor,” the singer growled.
“You...you don’t mean that. Just calm down...”
Neil ignored her words and lunged forwards but tripped over her suitcase. Freddie didn’t wait around to make sure he was alright, she ducked around his sprawled form and took off at a dead run down the hall. Blinded by fear she couldn’t remember anyone’s room number and felt panic grip her. There was no way that she could make it to the elevator or stairs before Neil recovered.
Luckily the commotion roused some of the others and Colm stuck his head into the hall to see what was going on. She slipped around him, flying into his room and dove across the the far bed, nearly taking out Emmet in the process.
“What’s going on?” asked the confused singer.
“Neil. I think he’s trying to kill me.”
“Freddie, don’t exaggerate,” scolded Emmet.
“I’m serious. I don’t know what happened. He just came after me.”
Emmet started to say something else when Neil suddenly appeared at their door. “Where is she?”
Colm rose to his full height to block the inebriated young man’s entrance. “Calm down, Neil.”
“This is all her fault!” Neil lunged forward once more and Colm simply reacted, placing both of his hands on older singer’s chest and shoving him backwards.
Somehow the guitarist kept his footing and started after the younger singer but his progress was stopped by Declan and George grabbing each of his arms and nearly lifting him off of the ground. He struggled in their grasp until a voice made them all freeze.
“Enough!”
Sharon was absolutely livid as she stalked down the hall. “What on earth is going on here?”
No one knew what to say until Colm finally cleared his throat. “All I know is that there was some noise in the hall and when I opened the door Freddie came running into the room saying that Neil was after her. You saw the rest.”
The producer shook her head in exasperation. She had been minding her own business, enjoying a quiet evening alone when Dave came pounding on her door telling her that there was an emergency. By the time she got upstairs she was encountered with the chaotic scene in front of her.
“Lads, take Neil down to my room but don’t leave him alone. I will be there shortly. I need to check on Freddie.”
Dave was already ahead of her and quickly made his way into Colm and Emmet’s room. Freddie was curled up in the back corner with her knees to her chest and her hands over her ears.
Kneeling down Dave spoke as gently to her as possible. “Freddie? It’s me.” Despite his tone the young woman still jumped and whimpered in fear. “It’s alright. Neil’s gone, you’re safe now. It’s okay.”
Slowly Freddie looked up and relief flooded her eyes when she saw Dave sitting in front of her. She crawled into his arms and clung to him tightly. Rubbing her back, Dave did his best to soothe the frightened young woman.
After giving Freddie a few minutes to calm down Sharon gently sat on the bed next to the couple. “Freddie, are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did Neil touch you at all?”
“No, he came after me but he tripped and I ran.”
“Okay. I’m going to want to talk to you later if that’s alright with you.” The young woman nodded but didn’t reply.
As Sharon walked away Dave looked up and was surprised to see how crowded the room was. Without saying a word they all agreed that this had to end. This had to end now.
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mkk59
Wicked Fan
Posts: 94
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Post by mkk59 on Jan 15, 2014 12:04:06 GMT -5
Great, great update! I'm so hooked on this story! So glad Sharon stepped in! I can't wait to see what she has to say to Neil!
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Post by barbt on Jan 15, 2014 17:37:58 GMT -5
NOW is when the fireworks go off. I don't envy Neil in the least right now. Hopefully Sharon can sort this mess out.
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Post by celticbear on Jan 15, 2014 19:12:46 GMT -5
Yep! Those Fireworks went off with a Huge Bang! Now that Sharon is involved, this whole mess will finally be over with and done! I just hope that when the dust settles, Neil keeps his job, He and Nicole kiss and make up, and that he and Freddie can be friends!
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Post by onyxfyrefly on Jan 20, 2014 14:24:43 GMT -5
As a mother and a producer Sharon had learned how to do one thing extremely well: make people squirm. After dismissing Declan and George she paced the hall outside of her room, letting Neil ponder his fate while she gathered her thoughts.
On her way down Nicole had caught her in the hall. The violinist’s face was streaked with tears and she explained that she had just broken up with Neil. The news had absolutely shocked Sharon. Neil and Nicole had been together forever, through thick and thin. In fact the producer had been expecting a marriage proposal any day now but she certainly wasn’t expecting to hear that they had broken up. Something must have gone horribly wrong to cause this turn of events.
Taking a deep breath, Sharon steeled herself and opened the door. Neil was sitting slumped in one of the chairs, sipping a bottle of water. He looked absolutely miserable but Sharon was having a hard time feeling any sympathy for him. She forced herself to stay calm and to do her best to be objective.
Sitting down on the bed across from him she waited. When it became obvious that Neil wasn’t going to speak she cleared her throat. “You do know that I have every right to fire you.”
That got Neil’s attention. His head snapped up and his eyes widened. “What? You can’t fire me!”
“Yes I can. All I would have to do is write a blog for the fans explaining that you had a family emergency back home, have John update your Facebook and Twitter accounts, and send you packing. As of right now I’ve decided against that course of action but that might change depending on what you have to say.” The older woman tucked her hair behind her ear. “Neil, you tried to attack another cast member! To say that’s out of character for you would be the understatement of a lifetime. What on earth is going on?”
Neil played with the label of the water bottle, picking at it nervously. “It’s...complicated.”
“You’re going to have to do better than that.” Again the singer didn’t reply. “Nicole told me what happened. She loves you so I know that something drastic had to occur for her to break things off.”
At the mention of Nicole’s name Neil’s shoulders stiffened. “That wasn’t my fault. That was Freddie’s fault. All of this is Freddie’s fault.”
Finally, they were getting somewhere. “How is any of this Freddie’s fault?”
“You made a mistake when you hired her. Since day one she’s been nothing but trouble.”
Sharon shook her head in confusion. “What do you mean? Freddie is a sweet girl and an incredible guitarist. The fans like her, the other cast and crew members like her, some of them like her enough to fly across the country for a random visit. How has she been trouble?”
Neil sipped his water. “She might have been able to fool the others but I can see her for what she really is. She’s just a brat who uses her past to get sympathy and to turn people against each other.”
The producer let this information sink in. “I’m going to assume that you knew Freddie before this tour began.” The singer nodded. “Why didn’t you say anything when you were introduced?”
“I knew Freddie a long time ago, when we were teenagers. Trust me, she looked extremely different back then and I didn’t recognize her at first.”
A frown crossed Sharon’s face. “Did she recognize you?” Neil nodded once more in confirmation. “Then why didn’t she say anything?”
“Because we didn’t exactly get along back then.”
“What do you mean that you didn’t get along?”
Slowly Neil told the abridged version of his past with Freddie. Explaining that he and his friends had bullied her for years but quickly stating that everyone does stupid things when they were kids and he didn’t understand why he was still being punished for something that he did a lifetime ago.
Sharon took all of this information in and fought to hide the surprise that she felt. She couldn’t imagine Neil as a bully but now that she knew about his history with Freddie things started to become more clear. There had been a change with Neil over the past few weeks. He was short tempered and all but refused to go to the meet and greets. He would try to put on a brave face during the soundcheck parties but would not go over to the side of the stage where Freddie stood. Sharon thought it was just the stress of the tour. This run was a rough one, they were hitting more cities with fewer days off, and everyone handled the pressure differently.
“You don’t see it, do you?” Her words made Neil look up once more.
“What don’t I see?”
“You say that you feel like you’re being punished for your past actions and I think that’s true but it’s not what you think.”
“What are you talking about?” Neil was tired of this conversation and just wanted to lay down and sleep.
“You’re still bullying Freddie.”
“No I’m not,” the singer started but Sharon held up her hand to stop him.
“Yes you are. Until a few minutes ago I had no idea all of this was going on but now that I do it’s easy to see how much you’ve changed. You’ve reverted back to your old ways. You say that you’ve changed, that you’re not that person anymore but it’s not true is it?”
Neil refused to answer and kept his eyes on the ground at his feet. Sharon studied the young man and wracked her brain as she tried to process everything. Suddenly a thought popped into her head and she wondered if her theory would prove to be correct.
“Freddie won’t let you apologize, will she?”
Slowly Neil raised his head, his eyes wide. “How did you know that?”
“That’s why you’re so upset. Freddie is a problem that you can’t solve and you resent her for it. So you’re punishing her. You might not be a kid anymore but you’re still placing the blame on Freddie even though she’s done nothing wrong.”
Neil shook his head. “Since when are you my shrink? I’m not punishing Freddie for anything. All of this is her fault! If she never would have joined this tour no one would be second guessing me and Nicole would still love me!” He threw the now empty bottle across the room where it bounced harmlessly off the wall. “She just mopes around like a kicked puppy and acts so sad but when people try to ask what’s wrong or help her she just pushes them away. Don’t you see? She just wants the attention! If she can make everyone hate me then she’ll be the one in the spotlight! It’s not right, it’s not fair and she shouldn’t be allowed to get away with it!”
Sharon waited until the younger man was done ranting then stood. “Are you done?” Neil sheepishly looked at the ground. “Obviously I can’t get through to you in this state. You’re too drunk and upset to listen to reason.”
“What...what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to do what I would do to my children: you’re grounded until further notice.”
“You can’t do that! I’m not a child!”
Sharon crossed her arms over her chest. “Either accept my terms or pack your bags. It’s your choice.”
Neil felt humiliated as the producer escorted him to his room. To add insult to injury she confiscated his cell phone and laptop as well. “If you leave your room you’ll be back on a plane before you can blink.” The young man opened his mouth to protest but Sharon silenced him with a glare. “Don’t push your luck. You’re on dangerously thin ice right now. Get some sleep and we’ll talk again in the morning.”
Turning, she headed down the hall to collect Freddie and hoped she could put an end to this mess before everything came crashing down.
-------------------------------------------------
Dave carefully helped Freddie off of the floor of Colm and Emmet’s room and led her down the hall. She refused to look at anyone and kept her eyes on the ground until she reached the safety of her own room.
She headed into the bathroom to take a shower as Dave sank into the chair next to the bed. The young man ran a hand through his hair and let out a long sigh. He knew that things were bad, really bad, but he had no idea that the situation had reached this level. A shudder ripped through his body when he thought about what would have happened if Neil wouldn’t have been stopped in time. He had never seen such anger displayed before and to see the usually reserved young man come after Freddie with every intention of making her pay for what she had supposedly done...the very idea was terrifying.
He was snapped out of his reverie when Freddie emerged. She was clad in sweats and a massive hoodie, her wet hair pulled back into a thick braid. Sitting down on the bed she pulled her knees to her chest and sighed. Dave sat down next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Freddie leaned into the embrace and closed her eyes. She was so tired and wanted nothing more than to lay down and sleep for days but she knew that Sharon would be knocking on that door any minute.
“Davie?”
“Hmm?”
“Thank you.”
The musician twisted to meet the young woman’s eyes. “For what?”
“For everything. For being there for me, for listening, for believing me, for coming to see me...just...for everything.”
Dave smiled and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You are very welcome. I’m happy to do it. I’m just want to help in any way that I can.”
Freddie rewarded him with a slight smile and curled up against his chest once more. She allowed herself to relax with the steady beat of Dave’s heart against her ear until a knock at her door made her jump.
“I’ll be here when you get back,” said Dave while tucking an errant strand of hair behind her ear. The young woman nodded and slipped into the hall where Sharon was waiting.
The guitarist followed the older woman to her room and curled up in an empty chair. Sharon noticed that it wasn’t the same chair that Neil had occupied and wondered if Freddie had made her choice on purpose.
“Before you say anything please know that I am so sorry about everything that has happened. This is all my fault and if you want to send me home I completely understand.” Freddie’s voice was surprisingly strong when she spoke and Sharon felt her heart break.
“None of this is your fault.”
“Yes it is. All of this is my fault.”
Sharon sat back. “How so?”
“Before I auditioned I should have researched the group. If I would have just bothered to look at the website I would have seen Neil and never would have auditioned then we wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Personally, I’m glad that you auditioned. You’re one of the best guitarists that I’ve ever had the privilege of working with but that’s beside the point.” She paused and tried to catch Freddie’s eyes but the young woman was staring at the ground. “There’s no use wondering what might have been. We’re here now and we’re going to fix this but in order to do so I need your help. Now, Neil told me that you two share a past. I want to hear your story.”
Freddie took a slow breath and began her tale, telling Sharon exactly what she’d told the band and the lads. “...then a few weeks ago he recognized me and it’s all gone downhill from there. I told the band and the guys what I just told you and everything started to fall apart.”
“How so?”
“People started to look at Neil differently, to wonder if he was truly like the person I described in my story. Then they started to wonder if what I was saying was true. After awhile no one knew who to believe and who to trust.”
“Is that why you turned away from people? Why you pushed them away?”
Freddie scrubbed at her eyes in exhaustion and nodded. “Once I realized what was happening I wanted nothing more than to just run away but we were too far into the tour for that so I tried to get people to turn their backs on me and go back to Neil. I thought that if they stopped believing me, if I could discredit myself, then they would just ignore me for the rest of the tour and things could go back to normal.”
Sharon nodded and smiled gently. “In case you haven’t noticed, we don’t just turn our backs on people.”
“I noticed.”
“Freddie, why didn’t you come to me?”
The guitarist shrugged. “I didn’t want you to have to deal with something as stupid and petty as old grudges. I was kind of hoping that my plan would work and this would just...I don’t know...go away.”
“Well, it didn’t and now I am dealing with it.” “Sorry,” Freddie mumbled.
“I’m not upset with you but I am worried. I had no idea how bad this situation was.”
“Me either. I knew that Neil hated me but I never thought that he would just come after me like that.”
Sharon paused and considered telling Freddie the reason for Neil’s outburst. After a moment she decided that the young woman deserved to know. There had been ample time for secrets and now it was time to clear the air. “Do you know why Neil snapped tonight?”
“No.”
“Freddie...Nicole broke up with Neil.”
That finally made the young woman raise her head, her dark eyes wide. “No.”
“Nicole came and found me a little earlier and told me what happened. She said that Neil had changed so much that she didn’t even recognize him anymore and she felt like she was in love with a stranger.”
Freddie groaned and covered her face with her hands. “This is all my fault. Sharon, please...just fire me and send me home before anything else bad happens. Please.”
“No. I’m not going to let you just run away. It seems to me like you’ve been doing that for far too long. I’m sorry to be the one to say this but it’s time that you faced your fears, Freddie.”
The musician slowly shook her head. “No...please...no...”
Sharon was undeterred. “Tomorrow you, Neil, and I are going to sit down and talk like adults. If I think someone should go home I will make that decision at that time.” The older woman smiled and stood. “Now go and try to get some rest.” She squeezed Freddie’s shoulder gently. “It will be alright, I promise.”
The guitarist walked back to her room in a daze. When she opened the door she just stood there, too shocked to move. Dave jumped up and led her to sit on the edge of the bed then crouched in front of her. “What happened?”
“Nicole broke up with Neil, that’s why he came after me.”
Dave’s eyes widened. “What?”
Quickly Freddie summed up her conversation with Sharon. “Tomorrow I’m supposed to talk with Sharon and Neil about everything that’s been going on.” She sighed and shook her head. “I can’t. Neil hates me and nothing I say or do will change that. It won’t matter if Sharon is there...you can’t change the way you feel about someone overnight. What am I going to do?”
Dave didn’t reply right away. Instead he sat down next to Freddie and pulled the young woman close. He wrapped his arms around her and slowly rubbed her back. “First of all, you’re going to calm down. You’re shaking like a leaf and you’re going to make yourself sick.”
Freddie took a slow breath then another but she could feel her control slipping. She fisted her hands in the material of Dave’s shirt and squeezed her eyes closed as she fought to calm herself.
Sensing her distress Dave found the tie at the end of her braid and pulled it lose. He slowly slipped his fingers through the still damp strands and the action seemed to soothe Freddie. It took a solid five minutes before she was calm and Dave let out a breath when she finally relaxed in his embrace.
“That’s better. As for tomorrow...you have a choice to make. You can either run or face your problems head on.”
“I’d rather run.”
Dave kissed the top of Freddie’s head. “I don’t think that’s true. You’ve been running from this for over half of your life and I can tell how tired you are. It’s time to stop running. You have a very unique opportunity, Freddie. You have the chance to finally face your problems and to put an end to this. Think about it, most people in your situation never get to confront the demons of their past but now is your chance to finally vanquish those fears.”
“I don’t know if I can. I don’t know if I can even look Neil in the eye. He hates me so much.”
“Who knows? Maybe by tomorrow Neil will have had a complete change of heart and will be singing your praises.”
“I highly doubt that.”
“Never say never. I don’t have a crystal ball, I can’t look into the future. All you can do is focus on there here and now.” Dave gently tipped Freddie’s chin up and met her eyes. “Right now you’re here with me and that’s all that matters.”
Freddie smiled slightly then leaned up to kiss Dave. She started into the dark eyes for a long time and felt the knot insider her chest ease slightly. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Any time.” Dave bent to kiss her once more then smiled.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Will...will you stay with me tonight? Please?” Freddie gripped his hands tightly in hers.
“I’d be happy to. Why don’t you get ready for bed while I go and get my things.”
Freddie nodded and headed into the bathroom to get changed. Staring at her reflection in the mirror she prayed that the young woman looking back at her was strong enough to put the demons from her childhood to rest once and for all.
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mkk59
Wicked Fan
Posts: 94
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Post by mkk59 on Jan 20, 2014 15:04:40 GMT -5
Love Sharon grounding Neil! And man does he deserve it! And Freddie asking Dave to stay.... Awww! Can't wait to see what the meeting brings!
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Post by barbt on Jan 20, 2014 16:46:36 GMT -5
Sharon got right to the heart of things, as usual. And gave Neil a whole lot to think about. Now Freddie needs to get the strength to talk it out. Good thing Dave's here, knowing tht's he's right ourtside the door might make all the difference for her.
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Post by celticbear on Jan 20, 2014 17:15:47 GMT -5
Well Sharon handled this mess perfectly! Love that she grounded Neil! Hopefully a good nights sleep for Neil and Freddie will give them the clarity to put their past to rest! Glad Davie stayed with Freddie! Tomorrows meeting is going to be EPIC!
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