A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall

Chapter II: There She Goes Again

"Have any of you heard from Phil at all?" I asked. Angus stirred his tea and set the spoon down. 

"No," he muttered. "He hasn't called us an' we haven't called him. We're givin' him a break. Whatever he needs, ya' know?" I nodded and he dropped the subject. "How's it been at home?"

I sipped my hot tea and burned my tongue a little. "Quiet. Drab. Inoffensive."

Angus grinned. "Sounds awful."

"It's just the way I like it," I said with a proud gleam in my eyes. I nuzzled into him, Angus having changed into his regular clothes. "But I missed you," I said. "Finally I said to myself I was going to buy a concert ticket and backstage pass and come see you." 

"I'm glad ya' did," he said kissing my hair. "Thank fuck it was you, I didn't wanna have to deal with..." He turned pink and turned away from me. "Uh, nothin'. Nothin'." He shook his head. "Never mind."

"You thought I was a devious groupie?" I asked poking him in the chest. "Hellbent on cornering you and having my way with you?" He snickered a little and looked down at his lap. "I'd say that's half right."

"How long were you plannin' on stayin'?" he asked reaching across the table for a tissue. He blew his nose like a trumpet. Trying not to laugh I bounced my leg. 

"I hadn't thought about that," I said. 

"Too busy tryin' to satisfy your animal lust," Angus said crumpling the tissue into a ball and holding it in his fist. I elbowed him and he laughed. "Kiddin'."

"I think I might head home tomorrow," I said watching the steam rise from my cup. "I took a cab."

"Ya' don't wanna fly to Brazil with us?" Angus asked. "Take a swim in the ocean, long walks on the beach?" I smiled sadly. 

"That sounds like fun. But...I don't know. Travelling, you know..." I turned my face away from him. Brazil sounded fabulous right now in January. As the beach always does in summer. I had enough Dramamine to last me a long time but even then things had been....rocky lately.

I didn't suppose a long plane ride would fix that.

"Why don't ya' sleep on it?" Angus suggested patting my leg. "Stay the night with us an' we'll figure it out tomorrow." I shrugged, unable to argue with that. "We're sleepin' on the bus right now. Not ideal but we're not spendin' money on hotels so...that's somethin'." He grinned.

I adored his smile. The sparkle in his eyes, the laugh in his voice. 

And I adored this tea.

After it cooled down considerably I took a drink as Angus stood up. He put a cigarette between his lips and lit it. "Well, love, why don't you an' I take a walk an' see the guys?" Grasping my tea with one hand and holding his hand in the other we left his dressing room and wandered down the endless hallways.

**********

"Sorry, love, I always get turned around in places like this," Angus said peering in every open doorway we passed. It took everything in me to ignore the pain flaring in my ankles and feet. It was my fault for choosing these heels instead of my boots. 

But boots weren't slinky enough for my plan. 

After looking in one more room, Angus sighed and leaned against the wall. "Wonderful," he muttered. 

The very large security hawk swooped down on us from behind. "Hey, you found him," he said looking at the pair of us. We were swallowed by his shadow. "She to your liking, Angus?"

Angus glanced at me and I gave him a wink. He nodded in understanding. "Uh, yeah. Yeah, she's perfect." I giggled. "Thanks."

The man smiled and nodded as he flew off down the hall. After he disappeared we burst out laughing. I almost fell over and Angus hid his face in his hands. Wiping a tear from my eye I did my best to pull myself together. "I'm not going to tell him," I said.