The Dance (Original Series Part 2)

Like The Love That Had Finally Found Me

*Please note: I know that if you're reading this...you know what's about to happen...but it's going to be painful, so let's give them an amazing last day before the axe falls, shall we? <3

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It felt extremely weird to be performing a concert on Thanksgiving Day.

That was what Stevie was thinking as the plane touched down at J.F.K. Airport in New York City on Wednesday afternoon, November 26, 1997. Lindsey was sitting next to her, turned into the aisle, as he was engaged in a spirited debate with Mick across the aisle that she'd only paid half attention to...something about the sequence of songs on the Abbey Road album...but he was still holding her hand over the armrest, and she had her head resting against his arm on her side. They had been cuddled up together for the entire flight to New York, Stevie asleep for much of the time, and she was looking forward to cuddling up with him some more, all alone, when they got to the hotel. Tomorrow was Thanksgiving Day but they were performing at Madison Square Garden, and it was the next-to-last show of the tour. The Dance was almost over, and what had begun as a secret relationship she'd depended on just to help her get through it all had turned into a not-so-secret relationship that was warm, safe, even better than the last time, and showed no signs of stopping when the tour was over. As the plane made its way to the gate, she looked over at him and smiled, and he felt her looking at him and smiled back before turning his attention to Mick again.

When she woke up tomorrow morning on Thanksgiving Day, she would be thankful that after twenty years of trying to fill the hole Lindsey had left in her life, they had finally found their way back to each other. She loved him so much it actually hurt.

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"How terrible would it be if we skipped this thing tonight?"

Stevie was completely at peace, lying on top of the bed in her hotel room, curled up against Lindsey, her head on his chest, and they had been lying this way almost since they landed, still fully clothed except for their shoes, not quite napping but not quite not, in each other's arms. They had to get up soon, they knew, because they were due to meet Christine, John and Mick downstairs at the restaurant of the hotel for a pre-Thanksgiving dinner at eight o'clock. It was seven-thirty.

"You know we can't really do that, angel...but I wish we could." He kissed the top of her head.

"I know, I know," she said. "I just really don't want to get up from this spot."

"Me neither." He pulled her closer into him and she let out a contented sigh. "We'll be back up here in a few hours, and I promise I'll hold you all night if you want."

"Mmmm I do." She lifted her head up to kiss him, and the kiss lingered for a long, perfect minute before they finally got up to get ready to meet everyone downstairs for their Fleetwood Mac Thanksgiving.

Everyone was already seated when Stevie and Lindsey got downstairs to the restaurant and joined them at the table. Bottles of wine had already been opened, and when everyone had a drink in front of them, Mick raised his glass and looked as though he was about to speak.

"So listen up, everybody...I just wanted to start off with a toast of sorts," said Mick, "before we go ahead and have our own little Thanksgiving dinner here. I just wanted to say to all of you that it's been one hell of a year, one hell of a tour, and since we have only two shows left I wanted you all to know that if someone were to ask me what I am thankful for most in the world tonight, it's getting to be back together with all of you." He lifted his glass, as did everyone else. "To Fleetwood Mac, to the chain that keeps us together, and to one hell of a year."