Pictures of You

5 - Again

Two. Stefani is rather certain. It's going to take two people and some precision to get her out of this corset piece at the end of the night, so whatever Chris talks about now, about sneaking away for longer and getting some of that time alone he's been craving, is just not very realistic. It would probably be a stupid choice right now when there are people waiting.

Laughter and bits of conversations echo from the hotel's yard through the open balcony door and she should definitely be back down there when someone decides to give a speech.

"All good?" Chris is trying to stay a calming presence, she'll give him that. And then he does manage to make her feel safe when he takes her hand, like he knows where they're supposed to be going, or at least where he would rather be. Usually at her side had been enough.

She's very aware she wouldn't be avoiding Bradley in this industry, or on this path in life entirely. Especially not when they're trying to honor her work, when he's been involved in a lot of it.

So it's not much of a surprise when she spots him. A glass of water in one hand and the other shoved into the pocket of his dress pants. They fit right, thank God, she catches herself thinking on a whim that she instantly tries to drown in her glass of red.

That doesn't work. Even after taking two more large sips - this stuff is too heavy and she hasn't had enough of that six course dinner to handle it - even then, it's still there. That strange, pieced-together recollection of telling him over a mug of coffee at his kitchen table that those pants at that one premiere didn't fit at all. He'd looked down, because they used to be always touching, and he'd seen his fingers trailing over hers, and offered to take those pants off for her next time. Sounds a little too much like some dream she's made up while sitting in the bathtub, too dizzy to stand up and get out and too stubborn to ask someone for help.

It's after a few speeches, after she'd flawlessly reiterated everyone's names of whoever had come up to her and after clearly too many drinks for both Chris and her that one of them makes a stupid decision after all.

Bradley finds himself cornered, although he's not sure who really started this cornering thing because to be fair, he was the one who came up to Christian when Stefani had dipped out of sight. He must be aware.

The reaction he gets leaves him blind-sided, leaning against the wall to keep himself from tipping over too far while Christian's voice breathes moist and too loud into his ear.

"It's simple," her fiancé - and that's nauseating in itself - continues, "she wasn't okay after you finished the movie. Now she is and she's back to concentrating on music and somehow, you're the only one who seems to have a problem with that."

"I don't have a problem with it if that's what she wants. But you know she can't make an informed decision. You weren't together anymore."

"Things change. They're good now, man. Things are almost the same as before, they're even better in our bedroom though."

Bradley blinks and sets the glass down from his trembling hand because he can be trusted to balance anything right now. Did Chris really say what he thinks he heard?

For some reason Chris keeps talking and it must be because he doesn't notice the way Bradley's hands clench into fists and the vein on his neck stands out.

He doesn't have time to contemplate because his arm just slips. That's what he's going to call it, the moment he shoves Chris against the wall with enough force to leave him gasping for air. The collar of his suit wrinkles in his hand and it's not enough when he presses it against his neck.

The reality of it settles the fear Bradley had spotted in his eyes quickly and Chris knows he's being pathetic, too.

"She's happy, so much happier than before. Everyone is. Have you considered that not being aware of things that were bringing you down might be a good thing? You're the one being selfish."