All I Want Is Everything

R&R

Looking out at the road rushing under my wheels
I don't know how to tell you all just how crazy this life feels
Look around for the friends that I used to turn to to pull me through
Looking into their eyes I see them running, too.

Running on, running on empty
Running on, running blind
Running on, running into the sun
But I'm running behind.

Jackson Browne, Running on Empty

Thor had gotten a suite, Ella saw as they filed in. It had a small table that they crowded around. Loki stood, there not being room for him as well. Thor quickly debriefed them about the tour numbers so far and gave them each a file that had information about their earnings and sales as well as when their next check for their records would be available and a schedule for the presentation of their gold records. Loki would be flying back to New York with Thor for business and rejoin them on the road.

It was indeed a brief meeting--one of the things Ella liked about Thor was that he didn't like being in meetings either. They wouldn't have as many, though, without the contract that Mr Barnes had drafted for them that required a lot more transparency from the label than they would have liked to give, but then the risk to them was minimal since so many bands flamed out early.

"Ella," Thor said when the meeting was over. "To be blunt, you look like shit. You need to take care of yourself. See a doctor while you're here, there's a house doctor in the hotel. We need to protect the goose that lays the golden eggs." He smiled and Ella kept herself from a sharp retort. "In fact, all of you are looking the worse for wear. Now, there's just one more album on your initial contract that's due, and the label isn't going to rush into that like they did the second. You have more recognition now, and they're hoping to see your writing evolve. It looks like glam metal is going to be a new big thing, so they'd like you to try out the sound. You know, like Motley Crue."

"Motley Crue is nuts," she said flatly. "And they don't take kindly to anybody they see as copying their style."

"I'm not saying you have to rip off Nikki Sixx or get up to their shenanigans--I'd prefer it if you didn't because cleaning up their mess is expensive and a real ordeal, and stay away from the Satanism stuff--but the sound, that arena-filling sound is the goal. Just see if you can tweak your style that direction." Ella muttered something that he chose to take as agreement. "Merry Christmas, you guys, and good luck at your next show."

Dismissed, the band filed out. "What's wrong, Ella?" Steve asked, his face brighter than it had been when they went in. "I like the idea of dipping into that sound. You can do it, I know you can." Bucky nodded, apparently thinking of the importance of drums in that sound, and his fingers twitched.

"I'm a better bassist than Sixx," Nat muttered.

"I don't like the record company telling me what to write," she said. All of them looked at her and were silent a moment.

"Well, let's think it over, we've got to finish the tour before doing anything else," Steve said after a moment. "I agree with Thor, though, you should see a doctor."

"If you don't, you know my mom will drag you to one," Bucky said neutrally.

"I'll talk to the concierge," she said, just keeping the snap out of her voice.

"Ok," Steve said. "Dinner at seven with the Barneses. We're doing Becca's graduation celebration then too, right, Buck?" Bucky smiled.

"Yep." They got on the elevator and were silent around the other guests. Nat and Bucky got off on their own floors.

"Look. Let's not deal with new music or this idea for a new sound right now. Let's get through the tour first, get caught up on our sleep and relaxed again, then talk it over as a band, sis. " Steve rubbed her shoulder and got off on his floor. In the lobby, the concierge affirmed that they did have a doctor on call and said he'd be at her room in about half an hour with a nurse.