Sydney didn't have much, but that was fine with her. She didn't need much. Growing up on the Washington coast in a lonely beach town, working quietly behind the scenes was what she was good at. Living on the beach was much less glamorous than most p...
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They say if you look hard, you'll find your way back home.
April 26th, 1990
"Fuck, man. I think I'm dying." Matt groaned. The bad food he had eaten the day before had laid him out, and he had barely been able to amble through their show in Rimini last night. Today they were all getting on a plane home. The rest of their European run had been cancelled due to Matt's illness. Additionally, Italy had once again left them without a bass player. Jason really just didn't vibe with the rest of the band. After losing Andy and Sydney, Chris decided it was time to more actively reevaluate the people he held close to him. Kim had agreed, they just had to wait for Matt to be coherent enough to talk to him about it as well. He was set on getting home and finding a replacement. A good one... someone who was committed to their sound. Someone who wouldn't turn around and leave. "Oh fuck." Matt groaned again. "How long until that flight?" "We're leaving in less than an hour." Chris told him. "Yeah, and it's a long ride home." Kim groaned, rubbing his eyes. They were all exhausted physically, but mentally they were completely run down. They hadn't had enough time to grieve their losses. Matt was severely ill on top of it, and their bad luck just seemed to keep piling on.
***
April 27th, 1990
"Oh, my god." Susan gasped, her hand over her her mouth. "Yeah. It's pretty bad." Suzy said. "She slept most of the way. We woke her up a couple times to drink some water, but she hasn't eaten." Katy added. The three women were looking down at Sydney, who was still sleeping on the futon in the back of Soundgarden's currently unused van that they had borrowed. Her face was swollen and dotted in deep red and purple bruises, and a nasty cut framed the outside of one of her eyes. They were parked outside of Chris's house, and Peter had already taken her things inside. He was now leaned up against the driver's side door deep in thought. "We should wake her up again now." He said. "We've been waking her up every so often to make sure she's alright... she sleeps like the dead." Agreeing with him, Susan climbed into the van and sat on the edge of the futon frame. She reached a hand out and gently shook Sydney's shoulder. The blonde cried out, flinching and cradling the shoulder Susan had just touched as her eyes flew open. "I'm sorry." Susan spoke gently. "I didn't mean to scare you." "It's okay." She breathed, pain throbbing through her whole body. "We're home..." With great effort she used her left hand to push herself up, grimacing at the searing in her chest. Susan moved so that Sydney could swing her legs off of the thin mattress, watching as she struggled to get upright without using her right arm. Once she was up, Susan and Peter carefully helped her out of the van. "You need to go to the hospital, Syd." Susan told her quietly. "I'll be okay. I just need to shower and get some rest. It's so good to be back." She muttered, taking in the familiar surroundings. "I'm glad you're back, too. We have a lot to talk about." "Yeah, we do. I'm so sorry... for everything. I didn't send that letter." "I realize that now. I really think you should go to a hospital." Sydney shook her head, catching Peter's pointed 'I told you so' look that was so similar to Chris's. "I don't want to. He's hit me before... I'm usually back to normal after two weeks. By the time the guys get back... I'll be as good as new." "Well... actually they're coming back now. Matt got really sick in Italy, and they arrive in just a little while. I haven't told Chris that you're here yet." "Oh." Sydney didn't know what else to say. She hadn't expected to see him so soon, and she suddenly felt unsure of herself. She was glad when Susan finally suggested that they go inside. Katy and Suzy bid them goodbye, but Peter stayed with them. He had all of Chris's spare keys after all, since he was the one who took care of Bill when his brother was out of town. They made their way inside and Sydney looked around, blinking a few times to focus her tired and blurry eyes. It was emptier than when she'd left. There were moving boxes scattered around that held various different household items, none of it organized. Beer cans and beer bottles were all over the place. Bill sniffed her hand excitedly, and she made her way over to the couch to pet him. Susan sat beside her and Peter disappeared somewhere in the back. "I just want to tell you that I'm sorry, Sydney. I can't imagine what you have gone through. I don't need to know the details or anything you're not comfortable sharing, but I would like to know why you left." "I... I didn't want to leave. Didn't have much of a choice. After Andy's memorial... he sold my truck. He mailed that letter to you. I tried to leave, but...I..." "I think I understand." Susan assured her, reaching out and wrapping her hand over Sydney's as it rested in her lap. "Where is Adam now?" "He's... um. In jail. I... waited until he was really drunk, at a club. I-I picked a fight. I told him it was over... that I was coming home. I said anything I could think of... to make him mad." "That sounds terrifying." Sydney shrugged with her good shoulder. "It's not as terrifying as spending the rest of my life with him would have been. I don't think it would have been a very long one." "Your friend came by my office. Three times, actually, demanding to know where you were." "Liz?!" "Mmhmm. She said it wasn't like you to go so long without speaking to her. When I told her you had quit the band and moved away she insisted that you would have never left by choice. She told me that Adam probably had a lot to do with it. I just had to make sure from your own mouth that you are home for good before I offered you your old job back." Sydney returned the woman's smile as best she could. She respected Susan very much, and appreciated all the effort she put in to her work. "It's lucky that Peter's band played in Santa Monica when they did. I don't know how I would have gotten home otherwise." "I may have paid a visit to Adam's father and got an idea of where he'd taken you, and then booked them a hasty show down there in hopes that you'd catch wind of it. He really is a frustrating man." "Adam's mother is worse." Sydney nodded. "Thank you, Sue." "Well I'm glad you're home. I need to head out but I think Peter is going to stay with you while I go pick up the guys." "Okay. Can you... I mean... how is he?" "Honestly?" Susan sighed. "Not good. I think having you back will help a lot." Sydney swallowed hard, unsure of what to say other than, "Thank you. For everything." "Of course."
