Love Is A Battlefield (Alan Wilder x Martin Gore)

12: When My Heart Bleeds

One week later, November 13th, Copenhagen, Denmark, 11:13am, the meeting room:

"So, Fletch will be leaving the tour and Daryl Bamonte will be taking his place. Are we clear on that?" Juli tapped her paperwork on the table and watched everyone present nod their heads. "On that note, I believe that's everything we needed to cover this morning; does anyone have any further questions, concerns or anything they'd like to discuss before we conclude?"

She were responded to head shakes and mutterings of decline.

Dave was a bundle of listless nerves in his seat, having chosen to profess his secret for the previous week. He forced his lips to remain tight but his acts made him feel excessively ashamed. How much longer were he to go without telling anyone? He thought, and his body became more restless.

"Alright, well, on that note, thanks for coming everyone."

The meeting began to dissipate. As Dave watched those around him standing up from their seats, his heart beat faster and more irregularly. He couldn't leave the meeting without saying anything; it were a heavy weight on his shoulders he could no longer resist.

"Actually, I do have something to say."

"Is that so?" His touring agent furrowed her eyebrows and retook her seat alongside his touring crew and bandmates.

From across the room, Martin looked at him with a disdainful look in his eyes.

"Yeah, I- This isn't really the place or way I wanted to say it, but I can't keep it from all of you any longer."

He felt his heart begin to pound against his ribcage, his stomach become knotted and his hands unsteady.

"I've got some news for all of you. Quite honestly, I don't know whether it's good or bad."

Martin looked at him again, this time subtly squinting his eyes and turning his head to the side, knowing what was about to be said.

"And this news is...?" Juli encouraged him to continue speaking.

"That... That I'm going to have a baby. I'm pregnant."

~~~~~
Alan uncontrollably spat out his drink across the table, coughing and spluttering. He leaned over the ridge of the table and his husband patted his back.

"You took that well, Alan. Someone get some paper towels." Their touring agent spoke with sarcasm, disguising what she felt as a result of Dave's news.

Yet to speak or move, Andy looked down at the floor momentarily before getting up to follow Juli's instruction.

"Are you guys angry?" Dave's eyes welled, watching their reactions unfold before him, filling him with regret.

"Not angry. Confused." Juli replied , swiveling her chair around to face him. "I mean, I just don't understand how this is happening."

"It's a long story. An extremely long story. Martin's the first person I told. I thought it made the most sense."

"Well, how long were you thinking of going without telling the rest of us?" Alan asked between coughs.

"I don't know..." Dave sighed, his breath trembling. "I don't know. I feel like I've ruined it all. I'm sorry. I'm really sorry." He allowed a tear to spill down his face.

"No, you haven't ruined anything." Martin said from across the table. "I was pregnant during a tour, seven years ago. I don't see why we can't make it work for Dave if we made it work for me."

"You're right, love." Alan rubbed his husband's back. "We can make this work."

"I hope we can." Dave whispered, still tearful.