Dancing In The Dark - A Jimmy Fallon Fanfiction

Chapter 21

"NATASHA!"

I jolted awake. Adam was looming over me. Salt had bounded across the room, frightened by the loudness of his voice. "What the freak is going on?!" I cried.

He threw his phone into my lap. I scooped it up.

"What on earth were you thinking?" he said, pulling at his sandy curls.

I started to read the headlines as he lectured on.

Nat Quinn Claims Rumor of Cheating Scandal Has No Truth To It (VIDEO)

Quinn: "Jimmy Fallon is a cool dude", but she's not dating him! Why? Ask her cat.

Natasha Quinn Bashes Rumors In Emotion-Filled Video. "The people you're talking about are real people with real feelings."

IS JIMTASHA DEAD?! Nat says so! (VIDEO)

I threw the phone back at him mid-sentence. "I don't know why you're getting all rage on me," I said, pulling the covers back and getting out of bed.

"You don't know why - ?! Agh!! Natasha!" he called after me. I'd headed for the bathroom. I locked myself in. He banged on the door. "We must talk about this!"

"What is there to talk about?"

"You're not the only one who made a statement!"

My tired eyes widened.

I swung open the door. "What do you mean?"

He gave me the phone again. I pressed play.

Jimmy was at home. I recognized the living room and the couch he was sitting on. "Hey, it's Jimmy Fallon," he said. Hey gorgeous, I thought. My heart hurt at the sound of his voice, at the sight of his chocolate brown eyes and messy hair. "Some pretty awful things have been said about me and the people I care about and I'd just like to say that those things are untrue. Please stop spreading rumors. Nat Quinn is a lovely lady. The last thing I want is people getting hurt. Love you guys." He blew a kiss. "Peace out."

Adam glared at me. "What?" I asked. "I still don't get why you're upset."

He sighed. "I just wish you would have consulted me before making a confessional."

"A confessional??" I said. "That wasn't a confessional. That was me defending myself and the people I love. And why should we ask your permission? You're not my dad, Adam."

I stormed out of the bathroom and threw on a sweater.

"Where are you going??" he cried. I zipped it up.

"Out to the balcony."

"Why?"

"To call my boyfriend."

"Jimmy??" he said, exasperated. "At a time like this? Why?!"

"Because he's my boyfriend and I love him," I said shortly. I picked up my phone and slipped out the door, leaving a gaping Adam standing in the middle of the hotel room, Salt staring at him like he was completely insane.

Jimmy picked up almost immediately. "Hey," he said.

"I saw your video," I admitted quickly.

"You did?"

"Yeah."

"I saw yours, too," he chuckled.

"I thought yours was perfect."

"I was about to say the same thing to you," he said. I smiled, leaning against the balcony railing. "How long are we gonna have to keep lying about this?" he asked me after a moment's silence.

"I don't know," I said. "I would've loved to tell everyone about us in that video, but I didn't feel like it was the right time."

"Same here," said Jimmy. "I want to tell everybody about you when we want to - not to dispel random rumors."

"Exactly," I replied. "Those stupid rumors....man, I hope they're gone forever soon."

"They should be," he said, hope in his voice. "We're filming again today, so the show will be off of its temporary hiatus."

"How are you going to explain it?"

"Higgins is going to say he was sick."

I grinned. "He is?"

"Yeah. He's even practiced a fake cough."

I chuckled. "That's Higgins..."

I told Jimmy about how much Adam was losing his mind over the videos. We both agreed he'd chill out after a little while. We had a feeling things would be back to normal very soon.

By the time I went back inside, Adam was sitting on the floor, Salt roaming around on his outstretched legs. "You okay?" I asked him. He stared at me.

"I suppose," he drawled. I sniffed and plopped down beside him, Salt's little paws crawling over to me. I ruffled her fluffy back.

"It's gonna be fine, you know," I told him. "People are really starting to side with us. Plus, Jimmy's back on TV tomorrow."

He sat up straighter. "He is?"

"Mm-hmm."

Adam sighed in relief. "Oh, good." He started rubbing his eyes. He looked like a total wreck. I tapped him on the shoulder.

"Adam?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled, still rubbing his eyes.

"Why do you...why do you care so much?"

He looked up. "What do you mean?" he asked, tone soft rather than demeaning for once.

"Why do you care so much about what happens to me?" I explained. He pursed his lips.

"Well," he began, "I wasn't lying when I said you're like a sister to me. We've been friends for three years now and - "

"Friends?"

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Of course. What did you think we were? Mere business associates?"

A lump appeared in my throat. I'd considered myself virtually friendless for so long, but to think I had Adam the whole time...I was so stupid.

"I love you, Natasha. As a sister. As a dear friend. I care about what happens to you because I love you. Do you understand me?" he asked, accent losing its usual clipping crispness for a gentle warmth. I didn't know what to say. I couldn't say anything, so I hugged him instead. Adam and I had only hugged one other time - when he got me a record deal. This was an even more important moment to me - the moment I realized I wasn't alone in the world even though my best friend was back home.

He seemed stunned at first, much like the last time, but then he slowly raised his lanky arms and hugged me back. "Don't get all emotional, now," he said. "We have lots to do."

"There's my Adam," I chuckled, backing away. "I knew you couldn't be gone for long." His sea green eyes looked so tired, worn from lack of rest and extensive rubbing. Adam wasn't much older than me - maybe 27 or 28 - but he seemed so very much older. Maybe it was his vintage clothes. Maybe it was his pompous British attitude. Maybe it was his propensity for reading Jane Austen novels and drinking tea at high noon. I don't know. All I know is I was so glad to call him my friend, and in that little moment, Adam Charles was the greatest person I'd ever known.