December 24th [COMPLETED]

3. Santa Monica

A/N: For context, they make Felix's album and it gets big! Concept signs both George and Felix to their label. Julien (George's Dad) works for Concept.

George could finally breathe. There it was, her name, written in her hand, on the final line. The deal was done. Finally.

George took a step back and Felix took her spot at the end of that long, infuriating table. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and George glanced at the message as the sea of pale, expressionless faces approached to congratulate her.

"I'm here. Got what you asked for."

George smiled for the first time all day at Syd's message. The contract to one of the top record labels in the world hadn't been able to pull off the job but George had grown tired from the minutiae of her new profession from the first time she had worked into that drab conference room. But now it was done. And George could breathe.

Her smile spread to Felix's care-worn expression and the usual light in his eyes started to make its comeback, its first appearance in that building since the two of them had been called in nearly a week ago.

He was the first person she hugged as a certified signed music producer, as George Briggs himself. The faceless executives were left to congratulate themselves as if they too had accomplished something that week instead of causing stress and unnecessary complications in what should have been two simple contract agreements.

Julien approached, breaking through the hoard of dark suits that threatened to overtake George and Felix if they did not make their escape soon. He met George's eye and nodded for the glass door behind her before taking a strong stance right in front of her, acting as a barrier between George and Felix and the wave of needless congratulations waiting to crash down upon them.

George saw her chance and grabbed it. With Felix's hand in hers, she raced for the elevators and only looked back once inside to meet Julien's proud gaze with a mouthed 'Thank you' as the elevator doors closed.

Los Angeles was offering up an Indian Summer the only way it knew how: hot, sweaty, and annoying. But the air was fresh (if you counted car exhaust as a naturally occurring element) and it wasn't the stuffy cologne/perfume-drenched atmosphere of the conference room so George took a deep breath. Felix laughed as he exhaled his. George joined in as the stress of the past week rolled off both of their shoulders.

Before Felix could sink into the concrete underfoot and take a nice long nap, George grabbed his hand once more and raced for the street. Her white Mercedes was loitering in front of an unpaid parking meter, the motor still running. Syd climbed from the driver's seat and tossed George as they crossed paths.

"Clothes are in the back," she said, as she stepped up on the sidewalk to watch George drive away into the sunset.

"What?" Felix asked, pausing at the passenger's side door. "What's in the back?"

"Thanks, Syd! Get in, Felix. I'll tell you on the way."

Felix followed George's lead and climbed into the front seat just in time for George to pull into the busy late afternoon traffic.

"Where are we going?" Felix asked as George sped her way through the wide streets of downtown.

George's eyes sought out that all-important sign, the highway entrance she had been dying to take, the sign she looked for every time they made the trek into the city from Vivian's. She slipped on her glasses as the sun hit the windshield, her smile propping up the dark frames on top of her cheeks.

George took that entrance, passing underneath the billboard that read "Santa Monica" and answered Felix's question as she merged onto the freeway.

"We just signed a record deal, my friend," George said, glancing over at her co-pilot. "We're going to celebrate."