Run Away From The Pain

When She Cried In The Night, No One Came.

"Don't worry!" I smiled lightly, at my mother and father, who were both staring at me in shock. "The tour is around Europe, so it'll still be on the same continent as you, this time.. Well... for the most part, there's only like 2 stops back in the U.S." I chuckled a little

"And I'll force her to call you every night." Steven grinned widely, trying to gain my parents trust. 
I just rolled my eyes, and ignored his comment. 

"We'll take good care of her!"Joey called out from behind us. 

Steven, Joe, Joey, Tom, Brad, and I all circled around Andrew and Isabella, in the study, trying so desperately to convince them that it'll be good for me to go back on tour. 

"And how well did that work out last time?" My mother snorted. 

"Let me remind you," I scoffed, "That I'm an adult who can make her own decisions.. If I want to go, I'm going to go. But, I figured I should have enough respect for my mother and father to ask their permission first." 

"Don't get snotty!" Joe whispered, lightly elbowing me in the ribs.

"Listen to him, Anastasia..." Isabella smirked. "Don't get snotty with me."

"She's right, darling." My father smiled, turning towards my mother. "She's an adult. She's old enough to go out into the world alone."

"I won't be alone though! I'll be with the guys!" I pleaded. 

"And look at that!" My dad winked at me. I knew exactly what he was getting at. "She won't even be alone, honey." 

My mother gave my father a weary look and after a long, sickening silence, let out an exasperated groan.

"Fine," She sighed, and threatened with a raised eyebrow. "But if I so much as see a single scratch upon her return, I'm throwing you all into the dungeon." 

"I can take care of myself mother..." I laughed and bounded over to hug her. "Chances are, if there's a scratch on me, it's because I'm being a clutz." 

"Groovy!" Brad jumped up from his chair.

"Where's the first stop?" We all turned around to see Nicholas leaning up against the wooden door frame of the study.

"Well.. We'll be here for a few more days.. We have a gig here, and then one in Dogana in three days, or something like that." Steven grinned, and wound his fingers around mine. 

"I'd love to come, if it's no trouble.." Nick blushed a little, and stretched his right arm behind his head, flexing. "I'm kind of a huge fan."

"Oh my god.. The prince just said he's a huge fan..." Joey gasped in amazement. 
He made me laugh; I love Joey. He's such a little kid at heart.

"That'd be awesome." Joe chuckled a bit.

There was a small knock on the door, just before Claudia entered the room.
The air froze for a moment, and for the first time ever, I saw a full on smile spread across Joe's lips. 

"Ac-" She paused, looking at Joe, then at my parents, then back to me. A firey blush engulfed her cheeks. "Princess, there is a phone call for you."
She bowed her head, so she didn't have to look anyone in the eye.
"Would you like to take it in here, or in your room?" 

"Umm...." I hesitated. "Who is it?" 

"It's your Uncle, the Grand Duke; Victor Hastings, Princess." She never broke eye contact with the floor. 

"I'll take it in here.. Thanks, Claudia." I smiled, and then stopped her before she left the room. "Ohh, and Claudia?"

"Yes, Princess?"

"Two things.... What'd I say about friends?" I chuckled.

"Sorry, Ace." She picked her head up, and smiled at me, with light dancing through her chrystal blue eyes. "And what's the second thing?"

"Claudia, meet the band." I grinned, and grabbed Joe's arm, pulling him to my side. "This is Joe Perry. Joe, this is my friend Claudia." 

Neither of them said a word for a few moments, until finally, Joe swallowed hard and stepped forward, with a sexy smirk on his face.

"Hey.." He smiled, and held out a hand for Claudia to shake. 

"H-hi." She blushed, and took his hand. 
Upon their physical contact, Joe did the unexpected; 
He grabbed her palm, and pulled it to his lips, kissing the back of her hand.
Her cheeks were set on fire, and everyone in the room had these smug grins on their faces.

We all knew what was about to happen;
We were all playing matchmaker. 

We all stood in silence for a few more moments, when my attention snapped back to the phone.
"Oh shit!" I shot up, and ran towards the desk, plopping down in the large leather chair, as everyone stared at me, in shock. I picked up the black laquered receiver of the phone and pressed it to my ear. "Hey Victor, what's shakin'?"

"Nothing hun, what's up with you?" He chuckled. "How's the Princess life been treating you? It's been a while since we last spoke."

"Yeah, I know... Next time, don't wait so long to call." I joked.

"A phone works both ways, you know?" He snorted.

"Well, I'm a princess, now." I jeered, and then placed the most aristocratic tone in my voice as I possibly could; swooning back in the chair, and holding the back of my hand to my forehead, as though I was about to faint. "It's hard to keep up with you peasants, when I'm dealing with such troubling afairs. Oh, woe is me, this royal life is so tormenting. To be, or not to be, the princess of Samarinia."

"I see you mother has made you study Shakespeare." He coldn't stiffle the bursts of laughter he obtained from my little show. 

"You're damn right, she has." I shot an annoyed smile towards my mother, who nodded and grinned, showing me she knew exactly how this conversation was going.

"So, I just called to check up on you to see how you were doing, and to let you know that you can visit whenever you'd like. Julia, and Johnny miss you both so terribly. We'd like to come visit you sometime, but that might not be for a while." Victor sighed, a heavy, sorrow-filled sigh. 

"Oh!" I gasped, at my memories with my 'mom' and my 'brother'. "Are they home?! Can I talk to them?!"

"No, love, they're not home, but we'll call as soon as they get home." He chuckled a bit. "But look, kiddo, I also wish to speak with your mother and father. Are they there?"

"Yeah, hang on." I smiled, and placed my palm over the receiver. "Uncle Victor wants to speak with you guys." I smiled at my parents. 

My parents both, gracefully and effortlessly, sat up from the couch, and floated over towards the grandiose oak desk where I sat with the phone. 

"Okay, well, they're here, so I guess I'll talk to some other time." I sighed, closing my eyes. I missed my Uncle who was, more or less, like my father. "I love you, old man." 

"I love you too, Alex." He chuckled as I handed the phone to my parents, and then walked over towards Steven .

"Hello, Brother!" I heard my father beam into the phone, as I walked away. 
"Let's go." I whispered to the band and lead them out of the room. 

We all walked out into the grand foyer and stood around for a moment.

"So what's there to do in a palace?" Joe asked, never taking his eyes off of Claudia. 

"Well.." I cut in, "We have stables, so we could go horseback riding? Or we could go swimming.. There's archery, shopping, uhh... Anything you want, pretty much?" 

"Swimming?" Steven gasped. "But it's March.. Isn't it supposed to be cold?"

"Uh... Steven, I don't know if you've noticed, but it's 80 degrees outside, right now." I laughed a little. 

"I've never been horseback riding before." Tom said, wonderstruck and lost in his thoughts. 

"Well, let's go!" I grinned. 

Since I came to Samarinia, I found sanctuary in the stables.
There's something so calming about the tame beast that a horse is. 
I've spent every day for the past 2 months in the stables, learning to care for, tack up, and ride a horse, and I've become pretty good at it, if I do say so myself. 

"Okay." I grinned, "Let me just run upstairs and change."

"Why can't you just wear that?" Brad scoffed. "What? The princess can't stand being in the same outfit for more than twenty minutes?"
I looked down at my denim shorts, which I cut from an old pair of bellbottoms, and my t-shirt. 

"No, I just don't want my ass to be all chaffed up.." I smirked. 

"You're right.." He muttered and then smirked. "That's Steven's job."

"Oh my god! You pig!" I slapped his arm and laughed, as I bounded up the spiral steps of the foyer's main staircase, only pausing halfway to call for Claudia. "Hey, Claud, are you coming with us?"

"Sure!" She grinned and followed me up the steps.

We got up to my room in no time at all, and sprinted to my closet. 
I rumaged through a few drawrs, until I found my pants draw, where I whipped out two pairs of tight jeans, one of which I threw at Claudia.
I ripped off the shorts I was wearing, and quickly put on the Levi's; I hopped over to the other section of my closet, where my shoes were, while I had one leg in the pants, and one leg flying free. 

I jumped, pulling the denim up over my second leg, and my hips, fastening the zipper and button which rested at my waist line. 
I knelt down and picked out the two pairs of brown leather riding boots that I got when I fell in love with the horses. 
Again, I tossed a pair at Claudia, and slipped my feet into the pair of cowgirl boots, I favored most. 

I changed my simple purple t-shirt, into my (always favorite) black tanktop, and red unbuttoned flannel

When I was ready, I grinned, and looked at Claudia. 
"You ready?" 

"You look like such a cowgirl." She chuckled. "Let's go!"

We ran back across the bridge, and down the steps, toward the foyer, where the boys were still waiting for us. 
"Come on! Let's go!" I ran past Steven, grabbing his hand, and pulling him along with me.

"Woah! Jesus!" He laughed, as he and the rest of the band sprinted behind Claudia and I. 

We continued running through the foyer, and down the long hallway of the palace's main floor. 
Eventually, at the end of the hallway, we reached the glass double french doors, which lead out to the back patio. 
We all ran out, my boots clicking along the cobblestone path, through the vast garden of lush green.
Running for a few more minutes, we eventually reached the stables.

It was a good, half mile away from the palace, so the grounds wouldn't smell like horse dung. 
We neared the large beige/yellow, regal looking stable house, and slowed our pace, so we wouldn't scare the beasts. 

I opened the green wooden door of the stable house, and stepped through it, allowing the smell of horses to hit me dead on. 
Though it's not a particularly pleasant smell, it will always be beauitful to me, because I love horses so much. 

I stopped infront of a stall, with a golden plaque drilled into the front of the door.
"This is Spades." I grinned, opening the door to the stall containing my favorite horse. 
I stepped inside, and the majestic creature instantly strolled up to me, remembering me. 

I ran my hand along the smooth black coat of the stunning Arabian standing before me. 
He was rather large, standing at 16 hands.
His black coat shined like Obsidian against the moon.
His eyes were as black as his coat, and they were just as piercing as mine were. 
This horse had become one of my best friends, because I felt like he and I were so much alike. 
He has an old soul, and he's got a past, I could tell. 

I turned back to the group standing behind me, while continuing to run my hands along the smooth black hair.

They all stood with their jaws to the floor, marvelling at the beauty before them. 
"Holy shit." Joe gasped. "He's huge..."

"Now I know where they get the term 'hung like a horse'..." Brad smirked. 
Joe caught onto what joke Brad was about to make, and beat him to it.

"Tell me, Alex.." He grinned evily. "Who's bigger.. Steven, or this horse?"

I rolled my eyes playfully, and grabbed Spade's briddle, which was hanging off of the hook on the stable doors. 
I began to tack him up, putting the bit into his mouth, and pulling the rest of the briddle over his head and ears. 
Once his briddle was on, I walked him out into the hall of the stables, and hooked him to the roped on the wall, so I could finish tacking him up, and then help everyone else with their horses. 

"Claudia, can you get Astro, for Tom, Blaze for Brad, and then pick out a horse for Joe?" I smiled. "I'll get  Chip for Joey, and-"

"Who's this?" Steven cut me off, looking at a Bay quarterhorse who was enclosed in his stall.

"Ohh... That's Gunner." I laughed. "You wouldn't be able to handle him... I'll put you on Tanner."

He smiled evily, accepting my challenge. 
"I'll take Gunner." 

"No." I chuckled.

"I want Gunner." He smiled wider.

"Steven, don't be a child.. You've got a show in two days, and Gunner is too fast, and too experienced for you. You don't want to break a leg."

"Fine... but only because we have a show." He pouted. 

About a half hour later, all the horses were tacked up.
Claudia and I spent the next hour teaching the guys how to mount, steer, and stop a horse, before we took the horses off their leads, and rode them into the grandiose riding ring, outside of the stable. 

"Y'all ready?" I giggled, mimmicking a western accent, which made Steven smirk. 

"Ridin' into town by the light of the moon. I'm lookin' for old Sukie Jones, she crazy horse saloon." He sang softly.
I giggled, and spurred Spades on, so I went from a walk to a canter in seconds. 

"Wait! I wanna go fast!" Joey called from behind me. 
"Like, how fast?" I turned Spades around so I was facing the group, and cantering circles around him. 

"Like.... 'wild horse' kinda fast." He grinned. 

"Like this?" I smirked, and spurred Spades on further, so he burst into a full gallop, around the ring. 

"Woah!" I heard them all gasp. 
I rode around the ring, feeling the wind through my long brown hair.
I felt happy; I felt free. 

As Spades sprinted around the edges of the circle, I pulled him in so he sprinted towards the middle, and neared a jump.

The crossrails were set up in the middle of the ring, so I readied myself, as Spades kicked up at the last second, and we both went flying through the air, jumping over the rails. 
When we landed, I spun him around, and cantered back over to the rest of the group. 

"That's fucking wild." Steven was so amazed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Peelin' off my chaps and boots; I'm saddle sore." Steven winced as I got him off of Tanner. 

"Don't worry, it won't hurt for very long." I smiled, and kissed his cheek. 

"That was so sick." Joe grinned as Claudia helped him get off of his horse.
We both went around, and helped the rest of the guys off their horses, as well as helped untack each horse. 
We taught them how to brush the creatures down; we each fed them a bale of hay and a few apples. 

Afterwards, we all strolled through the garden, and back to the royal kitchen for some food. 

"God, I'm fucking starving." Brad groaned, and he pulled out a chair from the giant oakwood table, and plopped himself down in it. 

"Oh my god, me too." Tom, and Joey both sighed. 
Steven didn't even have to say anything; his stomach spoke for him, grumbling and groaning as loudly as it possibly could. 

"Want us to whip up some hors d'oeurves, for you and your guests, Princess?" Miranda, and Jean Pierre, our cooks, were standing prim and proper, waiting for us to hand out orders. 

I looked over at Claudia. 
To pass the time, Claudia and I will cook together, because we both eat tremendous amounts of food, and also because it's a fun pass-time.
"You want to cook? Or do you wanna just relax?" I asked.

"Umm, I'm tired, but if you want to cook, I will." She sighed a little.

"Nah, fuck that." I giggled. "I'm exhausted.. I just wanted to make sure you didn't want to."
We both laughed, as I turned to the chefs.

"Can you make something for us, Miranda? That would be wonderful, Thank you." I smiled, then turned to the rest of the group. "What do you guys want?"

"Food!" Joe groaned. 

"Well, no fucking duh!" I rolled my eyes. "Steven, what do you want?"

"Oh you mean, aside from you?" He smirked. "Uhh..... whatever they're willing to make us."

As a hot blush rose to my cheeks, I turned once again, to face Miranda and Jean Pierre, so the boys wouldn't see the color I've turned.
"Make whatever you want. Surprise us." I grinned. "You food's always delish."

As they bowed and busied themselves in the kitchen, we all sat and talked about the plans for the tour.
After about an hour of discussing the places we're going to go, and the thing's we're going to see, Joe cut in, and asked a completely unprepared question. 

"Hey, Claudia," He smiled widely, and stammered a bit. "Uh... would you wanna come with us?"
Everyone froze, and looked at Claudia, who seemed to turn into a statue, with her jaw dropped, and a sparkle in her blue eyes. 

"I...erm..." 

"Oh, shut up, and just say yes." I nudged her, giggling.

"O-okay.." She smiled "Yes!"

"Ahhhh this is gonna be so much fun!" I squealed. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I laid in the smooth white silk sheets that were stretched across the king bed in my room, listening to the entirety of the Rocks album, with Steven lying right next to me. 
I propped a hand behind my head, and stared up at the white ceiling, just taking in the sounds of every track that played.

"You know.... This is actually a really good album.." I sighed. "Like.. tremendously phenominal."

"Why thank you, love." He rolled onto his side, and propped his head up on his arm. "When you left... I.. uh.... I was so upset, that I couldn't eat or sleep or do anything.. The band was going to shit, and the guys thought that the only way to get me to record, was to bring me back to my roots in Boston. We rented out this place there that we called 'the warehouse'. We still have it too... It's got all of our equipment and stuff in it, and we've got a little recording studio in there..."

"Really?" I gasped, staring into his chocolate eyes. 

"Yeah... and that's where we recorded this entire thing." He smiled. "We went back and re-recorded Back In The Saddle."

"What about Last Child? Didn't you record that the day we were in Austin?" All this information was amazing to me.

"Actually," He got up, and played the record again, starting with Last Child. "Listen really closely.."

I did as I was told, and strained my ears. 
"Wait until the last line in the first chorus.." He whispered.
As I did, in the background, I could hear a faint noise, that sounded like a shriek, but also like someone's name being called out. 

"No way...." I gasped. "That's.... That's me!"

"Exactly why I kept it.." He smiled "You screamed so loudly, that it showed up on the recording. It's not that noticable, unless someone points it out, or your listening really closely."

"That's so fucking cool!" I grinned. "You're awesome! Thank you!"
I tackled him, and planted a large kiss upon his even larger lips. 
He chuckled and kissed me passionately, pulling one of my legs over his, so I was now straddling him. 

His strong hands rubbed my thighs lightly, sending chills up my spine, and a low moan reverberating out of my throat. He grinned and grabbed my hips, pulling me into him.
As he kissed my throat, he flipped over so he was now hovering over me. 
"Mmmm" I moaned.
I couldn't control the way this man makes me feel, no matter how hard I try, I could never control it. 
He sent me spiriling into the abyss of pleasure and pain, and I loved it. 

As I lie here in Steven's arms, I couldn't even begin to describe how happy I've become.
"Alexandra Anastasia Cecilia Elena Dawson Hastings.."

"What a mouthful.." I chuckled, kissing his nose. 

"I fucking love you." He smiled.

"I fucking love you more." I smirked. 

"So, Anastasia." He laughed, clearly amused by my multiple names. "What should I call you?"

"Whatever you'd like.." I rolled my eyes. "At this point I'm used to being called anything and everything."

"Really?" He smirked and sat up in bed, staring down at me. "How about Mrs. Tyler?"