Hometown Hero

Chapter Twenty-four: The End of All Things

I was standing in the middle of an empty theatre. No one stood beside me, but it didn't seem to bother me. Straight ahead, I watched the curtain rise, shadows creeping into the dim lights over my head. Slowly, I saw Indie, walking up in the same clothes he'd worn the very first time he came over for dinner, except his button-up was opened over a white v-neck. He saw me, and smiled. As he did, he seemed to realize something. His eyes went wide, and he looked down. Moving my eyes, a small read dot appeared on the upper part of his stomach. Trying to get to him, a crowd appeared between us. His eyes frantically looked for me, and I watched the spot grow bigger, and bigger; Indie fell to his knees, and I screamed.

My entire body felt sore when I woke up, my heart was pounding, and there were tears in my eyes. Indie's voice was low, soft “Sweetheart, it's okay. Everything's fine.”

My eyes stung as I turned, panicked “Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

He sighed, “Like hell. I feel like someone sent me through the trash compactor. ”

I replied, burrowing myself against him “I had a nightmare.”

“It's okay.” He said softly, “I'm here. There's nothing to be afraid of. What happened?”

I shivered, trying to keep myself from heaving. I ignored his question, pleading “I'm scared. I'm scared, and I feel like I've been sent through a taffy pull.”

“Hm.” He nodded, kissing my cold nose “It's okay. We'll fix that right up, and you'll be as good as new.” Kissing me, I felt better. I wondered if this fear was just something that would happen when I knew he'd be leaving me soon. But that didn't explain why I didn't have it the last time he left town; unless my feelings had changed. I didn't love Indie before he'd said goodbye last time. Or, if I did, I didn't know it yet.

Laying next to him, I could feel something inside me change. It didn't matter where I would be, if it was with my dads in Anarbor or here in Oregon. Indie would always be my home, and I would always belong with him. We were two conjoined pieces, made whole by not only each other, but by the pieces we brought with us. Lexy, my dads, the band, even my mom and Erin were parts of us that we couldn't break. We were in love, and I could never give that up.

“What happened in your dream, angel?” He asked, suddenly remembering the reason for my panic moments earlier.

Shaking my head, I sighed “Nothing. It wasn't...it doesn't matter. I'm just thankful that you were here to wake me up.”

He nodded, “I'll always wake you up from your bad dreams. I promise.” He reached out, lifting his pinky.

I shook my head, “Always with the pinky pomises.”

“You can't break a pinky promise.” He declared, “It's seventy-five years of bad luck.”

“You're making things up again.” I scoffed, smiling as I rested my head on his chest “Pinky promise you'll be careful on tour, then.” He smiled, and we linked pinkies. I kissed him, and I could feel him laugh.

He whispered, “Sealed. If I break it, bad luck.”

“That's right.”

Off in the other room, I heard a sudden wail in the darkness. Indie sat up, and I saw the grimace on his face as he breathed through clenched teeth. Beside him, I sat up “I'll get her.”

He shook his head, “I'm fine. I'll get her, go back to sleep.”

“Okay.” I murmured, moving back underneath the covers. He kissed my forehead, laughing softly before moving to his feet. Slowly, he moved out of the bedroom, and I closed my eyes.