Endurance ( Remastered)

Chapter Forty-Sixx - Exposed

**Exposed was the title of Vince's first solo album.

**This chapter was supposed to go with the previous one, but it got too long, so I had to split the chapter. Then, as I continued to write, this second half also got very long, but there's no good place to the split this chapter, so I'm just leaving it as it... long. Takes breaks if you need. It wraps up 1991.

**I apologize for missing last week's upload. I had writer friends visiting my area over a period of several days. We even got to see John 5 together. Anyway, I just didn't have the time to do my upload. That said, I don't have anything written for the following chapter. However, I'm hoping to get started on it soon. But I actually just started on a one-shot. I got the idea for this a month or two ago. Despite not having my next chapter started, I really want to write the one-shot before I lose my inspiration and ideas. I think it's going to be something unique and a lot of fun... of course starring our favorite duo. The one-shot might be my next upload, which will then give me a little extra time to catch up on Endurance.

**Also, sorry that I missed responding to comments on the last upload. I'll do better.

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September 19th, on the airplane back to the United States from France -

Nikki and Brandi sat in their first-class seats at the front of the plane with Hunter asleep in his mother's arms. The words that were being exchanged were only things that related to travel and the baby, as both husband and wife sat turned away from each other... Brandi towards the window and Nikki towards the aisle. Their little extended vacation, meant for dedicated family time, relaxation, and unwinding ended on a down note.

The first days were fine, with just a few minor tiffs. It was the last full day where things blew apart. Nikki sat stewing, while six miles above the globe, about what went wrong. He couldn't figure it out. It just seemed like anything he did was wrong. In hindsight, the side trip probably wasn't such a good idea. They were all exhausted, even the baby, from the constant shuffling around and the schedules that had to be kept. Going home probably would have been the best remedy for everyone, rather than more traveling. But he couldn't get the idea of visiting the sunny Mediterranean coast of southern France out of his head after talking to their concert promoter about how beautiful it was. At the time he suggested it to his wife, it seemed like it was going to be more like chicken soup to the hungry soul. Brandi accepted the vacation proposal and had the same sunny hopes. But reality spelled otherwise.

The mistake of taking the extended vacation was evident once they arrived home. Their problems escalated, and before Nikki could even unpack a single thing from their time in Europe, he found himself packing a new bag for a local hotel. Brandi booted his argumentative ass from the house.

An hour later, Nikki sighed as he hoisted his suitcase on top of the hotel dresser and then tossed his shoulder bag onto a chair in the corner. He flopped back on the bed with his arms splayed out and lay there thinking about the series of events that led him to a hotel room by himself shortly before midnight. After that long day, he really couldn't untangle the mess in his head. By that point, he figured that the best thing to do was to shower, hop into bed, flick on the TV, and watch some shit movie until he fell asleep. The next day, he'd call Brandi to see if there was a change of heart by morning, and if not, he'd ring Tommy to see if he was up for a little adventure and fun. That was the best plan he could muster up at that late hour.

After having been self-startled awake, at four in the morning, with racing thoughts of where the baby was. He calmed himself back down, after realizing Hunter was home safely with his mother. The next time he opened his eyes, it was after ten.