Who's the real you?

Chapter Eighteen

July 1995

Hannah watched as Alytain bounced on the balls of his feet in his dressing room while Harley laid in his pram asleep oblivious to what was happening.

Alytain let his nerves bounce through his body, he gritted his teeth as his breathing escaped.

Hannah rose up to her feet, she felt refreshed as being in the dressing room Alytain gave her a whole new experience. She reached for Alytain's hands.

Alytain stopped bouncing.

"You did this. All of this." Hannah smiled "I love you."

Alytain pressed his lips up against Hannah's, letting his nerves disappear from her touch "I love you."

They heard the dressing room door open.

"Alytain, we're ready for you."

Alytain pulled away from the taste of Hannah's lips, he turned his attention to his assistant "Give me a sec."

His assistant nodded before closing the door.

"I'll watch from here." Hannah spoke.

"No, from the side of the stage."

"Someone needs to watch Harley."

"Belle."

Hannah knew she couldn't argue with Alytain "I'll watch your first song from the side of stage, but I need to be with Harley."

"Deal" Alytain pressed his lips up against hers again.

Alytain felt like he could let his energy run wild through his body, he held Hannah's hand tight as he lead her up to the closed door, he opened it.

His assistant stood to attention.

"Lucas, I'm just going to be by the side of the stage for one song than I'll be back down here. I trust you and everyone else to keep the night running."

Lucas nodded as he lead them through the backstage.

Hannah could feel the nerves run through her body as they moved closer to the stage. She could hear the sounds of the crowd, she could hear the music finish from the opening act, she could see the faint change of lights. She could feel Alytain bounce on the balls of his feet as nerves travelled through his body again.

Together, Hannah and Alytain watched as the stagehands put the final touches on for the change over from opening act to headliner.

Alytain brought Hannah's hand to his lips, he kept her hand pressed to his lips. He kept bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Baby, you can do this." Hannah looked up at him.

Alytain couldn't find the words to say as he heard the crowd chant his name.

He let go of Hannah's hands as Lucas reached a microphone towards him, Alytain smiled at the microphone he hadn't seen in what felt like an eternity.

Alytain watched as his band walked past him, watched as they positioned themselves at their instruments behind the curtain.

Hannah shifted her attention to the blacked out stage, watching as torches guided everyone safely around the stage.

Alytain kissed Hannah's cheek before taking his first step onto the stage. He hid behind his back up singers as he waited.

Hannah watched; she could feel her heart race with nerves as she waited.

The chants of the crowd grew louder, the way they yearned for Alytain, the way they yearned for the newest concert of Alytain's.

Alytain took a deep breath before slowly exhaling.

Hannah watched as the stagehands rushed off the stage, she watched as torch lights flicked off.

"There was once a little whore." Alytain could barely make out the sight of Hannah on the side of the stage as cheers erupted "Who entered my life."

Hannah wasn't keen on the tour being called FAME WHORE nor was she keen on his new album sharing the same name, but she had no choice in the matter.

Hannah shifted her attention to the front of the stage as the curtain dropped to the floor, she noticed a woman rise up through a floor of smoke, she watched as the woman on the stage toyed with her revealing outfit.

"She told me she loved me." Alytain's voice crept through the speaker.

Hannah had broken her promise, she could barely make it through the first song. She wasn't sure if it was the way the opening song was played or the way Alytain and the dancer on stage danced seductively around each other or if it was because she feared to be away from Harley for too long.

Even from his dressing room, Hannah could hear the cries from the crowd. She watched on the tv in his dressing room, watched as the show played out in front of her as she kept a close eye on her son.