When The Lights Go Down

As Good as I Once Was

4 Years Later

FP really thought his career was over after that. After all, how much respect could anyone have for him after how destructive he had become? Hell he even lost respect for himself. But to his surprise it only seemed to make his career stronger, the fans loved how open he was about his struggle and how he overcame it. He did too many interviews to count after leaving rehab, telling his story and how he plans to stay sober, and the public ate up every word.

Now four years later, miraculously still stone cold sober, he and Gladys are at the top of the charts and planning to take the world by storm in an upcoming tour. But while their careers have flourished over the years, their marriage seemed to drown.

The room is silent between the two of them, the only sound being that of the tv playing lowly and the sound of FP thumbing through a magazine.

Gladys rolls her eyes as yet another promotion for their tour comes on screen. "Must be nationwide news at this point."

FP chuckles. "Well it is a world tour, I hope it made nationwide news."

"Gonna be a long time on the road." She murmurs, sounding completely uninterested even though this a huge career move for them both. With how many tickets it's sold already there should be at least some amount of excitement.

He shrugs. "We'll find ways to make it fun." He looks over at her and quirks an eyebrow. "With how close the kick off date is, I'd think you'd be a little more invested."

She rolls her eyes, only this time he actually sees it. "I'm sorry if I don't want to eat, sleep and breathe this tour, FP."

He gapes, not sure how this has become a fight so quick. "You know that's how touring goes, G. You're acting like you're new to this." He pinches the bridge of his nose, feeling himself grow frustrated. "Maybe we shouldn't have agreed to do this."

She flicks her head around and glares at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that we can barely stand each other here at home, what makes you think we're gonna be able to live with each other on the road, there's no escape from each other there." He points out, his voice raising slightly.

"We'll make it work." She says, albeit unenthusiastically, echoing his words.

"Yeah well we better, otherwise Fred is gonna have some choice words for us."

Gladys waves off the comment. "Oh whatever, he never stays mad for long."

FP raises an eyebrow at that. "You think he's just going to laugh it off if we quit a million dollar tour before it's even begun? He'll-"

"Are you fighting?" A teeny voice floats down the staircase. FP and Gladys look towards the stairs to find their little girl clutching her stuffed animal while sitting at the top of the stairs.

"No baby," Gladys answers softly. "We're just talking a little loud, did we wake you?"

She shakes her head, disheveled pigtails swinging. "I had a bad dream." Her bottom lip quivers at the recollection. "Will you check my room?" She directs the question to FP.

He looks over at Gladys who's seemingly already checked out of this conversation as she picks up the tv remote again. He sighs and looks back at his daughter, giving her a smile. "Yeah, honey, I'll come check your room."

He tosses the magazine he was flicking through onto the coffee table and heads upstairs without a second glance at his wife. June takes his hand tightly in her own and traipses behind him as he walks into her bedroom.

She lets go of him and plants her feet firmly on the ground, opting to stand in the doorway while he checks her room. "You coming?" She shakes her head, eyes glossy with unshed tears.

He chuckles and kneels down, looking thoroughly under her bed, even though there's not even so much as a sock under there. "Bed is clear kiddo." She makes a beeline for it and cowers under her comforter as she watches her dad scope the rest of her room for monsters.

He checks the closet and opens it wide to show her that nothing is in there. "No monsters." He announces.

"The window!" She points erratically, her eyes just barely peeking out from under her blanket. He pulls aside the curtain and peeks out, finding nothing, as expected.

"Window is clear too." He promises, walking over to tuck her in nice and snug.

"Will you sing me a song, daddy?" She asks him, looking up at him with her big brown eyes, and well? How can he say possibly say no?

"I think I can manage that, you okay if we do this one without my guitar?" She nods her little head and he smiles at her, smoothing her hair back as begins to sing. "Somewhere over the rainbow way up high. There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby. Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue. And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true. Someday I'll wish upon a star and wake up where the clouds are far behind me. Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me."

He sees her eyes flutter closed and leans in to press a kiss to the top of her head. "Sweet dreams my little Junebug, I love you."

He makes sure her nightlight is on before slowly leaving her room, walking back downstairs and finding Gladys in the same spot. "She asleep?"

"Yeah, sang her a song."

"I suppose it's better than having her in our bed for the night, I still have bruises." Gladys says, making him laugh.

"I wonder where she gets that from." He teases, Gladys has always been a restless sleeper too. He curls his arm around her shoulders and she leans into him. "Sorry for raising my voice earlier. I'm just getting a little stressed out as the tour gets closer."

"I understand. And I am looking forward to it," she assures him. "I just... I don't know, I'm not as stoked as I know I should be."

"I'm sure you will be when it gets closer, it's still a little bit out."

"Yeah... you're probably right."