A Leppard's Kiss of Fate: A Def Leppard/Kiss Romance

Chapter 18-Feeling Strange, MTV Unplugged (Tommy Thayer)

I wish mine and my husband's honeymoon could have lasted forever, a trip...well more than just  a mere trip, but just spending time with the one I loved more than life itself: Joe. Joe who worshipped me, who treated me like the most cherished and priceless jewel, the one WHO always treats me so. I don't truly know what I'd do with out him...but then it was back home and then almost straight back to work. We did have a few days, before Def Leppard and my work with Kiss came calling, which brings us to now....me fixing to board a plane, my husband seeing me off, he will join me soon, in day or so roughly, he had some things with the band to take care of...and he wasn't happy.

"I don't want to leave you Tommy; I just really feel strongly that I need to be with you." This, he'd told me last night and I gently cupped his face in my hands...

"I know you do, but its only for a short time, I love you...and I am sorry about here recently. We've had so much going on and its now mid-June." Joe'd give me this look, full of worry. Let me explain recently I've been feeling strange...just the past few days at least, I've barely talked to my husband, and then I've just not felt like eating much if at all and when I did eat...for some odd reason, I wanted Kiwi Fruit badly or figs wrapped in prosciutto. This wasn't like me....and I was starting to notice how moody I was too....at the time, it didn't click with me about the possibility of being pregnant...for one thing, I didn't feel quite like this or feel like I did here when Jamie had gotten me pregnant, how I'd found out  about that forbidden pregnancy is funny enough I'd gone to have blood drawn...covered in bruises, hidden with make-up...and that's when I learned and became desperate to hide and keep what I'd wanted so desperately...but it sadly wasn't meant to be.

Back to the present...

I feel highly emotional, wound up tight.... clinging to my husband with a death grip. I feel nauseous or am starting too.

"Tommy? Lady bug? Maybe I should just tell those bloody---" I cut my husband off quickly, trying to breathe.

"Joe, I know what you're gonna say...it's only a day or so then you follow me. I don't want to go...I DON'T WANT TO!" I wail, "B-But I got MTV unplugged...Bruce, Eric, Gene, Paul, Peter, and everyone will be there. I don't want to let them down." I whisper.

"Oh Tom, it will be all right love. Please, please if you need me for anything...let me know, call me as soon as you land and can. I love you...if you need me, I will drop everything." Joe tilts my face up to where I am looking in his Angel blue eyes.

"I will. Kiss me...I can hear them calling." I muster a smile, as my husband kisses me my nausea for the moment gone, I cry all the while...in fact, I haven't stopped since I've started...a few more kisses and I turn at the top of the steps to wave to him, bag slung over my shoulder suddenly feeling desperate to not get sick and yell that I love him and when I absolutely have to, I go find my seat...which is in first class, Joe had insisted mainly so I'd have more privacy.

It's like a damn fixing to burst.... the plane starts to take off, and I swear my vision is swimming. Thankfully there's not many people here, a stewardess once we are in the air asks me if I need anything.

"Water please...and this is weird, but do you have any fruit? Like kiwi's or figs? Apples are ok too." Amazingly, she does in fact have kiwi's and brings me a bottle of chilled water...but I spring from my seat, and thankfully the bathroom is empty as I give in to the urge to vomit, and I spend 15 minutes before finally stopping. The stewardess comes back to check on me, worried...I manage to tell her I'm ok, upset stomach. As I manage to shakily stand up, rinse my mouth and I glance in the small mirror. Holy shit!! I look terrible, like death warmed over...ok, no fever I don't think...and come to think of it.... ok glancing down now, I think I've gained weight...ok weird or is it really? I really don't feel like concentrating right now!

I exit the bathroom and the kindly stewardess brings me a blanket and a pillow, and I curl up guzzling my water and munching on my kiwi's and fall into a restless sleep.... i get sick several more times, each time lasting a while...

By some miracle I manage to make it to the hotel, Eric picking me up...a very worried Eric.

"Tommy? You look like you feel bad. Maybe we should cancel this unplugged thing."

"No! Eric...please. I'll be ok!" I say with false enthusiasm, Eric presses but I keep saying the same thing....by the way upon arrival, I immediately call my husband, and tell him that I really need rest and that I love him...Joe knew that I felt bad to say the least, he could hear it in my voice...telling me fuck work, but I told him it wouldn't be long till he was with me....

I end up spending all damn night puking my guts out, trying like hell to drink water and keep hydrated but it's a fruitless effort and next thing I know, I find myself backstage at MTV Unplugged taking care of the logistics, making sure things are running smoothly and everyone has everything they need, I feel really tired and weak and I get dizzy...prompting someone, who I vaguely realize is Paul , as he makes me lay down.

"Tommy, are you? Well..." I cut him off with a groan.

"I'll be ok, really! Just...I need to get..." This time Gene cuts me off, gently but firmly.

"Tommy, things are ok as far as the gig goes and shit...but we care about you, you shouldn't be by yourself."

"Gene, guys.... I don't..." I gesture for something as I puke, crying the whole time clutching my stomach, I feel someone rub my back...but it makes me puke more...finally I am layed down and I drift off to the murmur of worried voices.

Next thing I know, it seems the show is over....as everyone is apparently talking about, I hear everyone coming, and I go to stand.... dizziness making me stagger...the door opens, and I hear, "Oh my god...Tommy! Tommy...someone call Joe NOW!!" as I then give into darkness, hopefully someone catches me....

I wake up with a start and hear beeping and I'm in a hospital gown and why am I hooked up to all these IV'S?!

"Tommy, man it's ok...we called Joe, he's on his way...he got the earliest possible flight, I am telling you now that man would fly the plane himself if it got him to you faster." Eric's voice slowly comes into focus as does everyone else, Peter, Ace, Paul, Bruce, Gene, and Eric....

I panic anyway, "Why am I here?! What's wrong with me? I-I want Joe, I want my husband!"

"Tom, calm down please.... stressing yourself out so bad isn't good for You." Paul looks and sounds very concerned, but he manages to calm me down somewhat.

"What's wrong with me?" I ask again, calmly...well calmer.

"Tommy, well you're pregnant." Peter Criss of all people meets my gaze, but his eyes are warm. I wish they were my husband's eyes.

"Wait.... did you just say..." I trail off, wide eyed and in shock.

"Yes, you're pregnant, 6 weeks...they did tests and forgive us...but we told Joe." Peter says apologetically.

"So, he knows? how did he take it?" My tone nervous.

"He was scared out of his fucking wits, which I can't blame him there...because of you being in the hospital and how you'd been acting and feeling and too us telling him how we found you, but when he was told you were pregnant, I've never heard someone that happy and proud and excited, to be a father." Eric smiles at me and I try to smile back, but I feel sick again...I groan, as I am handed something to puke in and I do...

"There's SO much!!" I cry when I finish for now. I drink greedily the water I am given and soon fall back to sleep.... just so very, very exhausted.

I wake up once more, the lights dimmed.... how much time has passed...I'm not sure, but I hear the most beautiful and perfect voice in the world...

"Tom? Lady bug I'm here...love, I am here."

Joe, Joe is here...he IS here with me and now.... our baby, he knows...but I want to tell him anyway for him to hear the words fall from my lips....

A/N: Tommy's strange behaviors are explained, and it looks like his dream he had about Joe and their children, is indeed starting to come true! Next chapter will be Joe's version of events and him getting to Tommy, plus more.