Unchained Heart

Chapter 1

My flight back to Minneapolis was filled with nothing more than anxiety. I usually loved coming home. This time I was coming home for a few weeks. I was coming him for good. As I waited to get a cab a black car pulled up and the window rolled down slowly. It was rather odd that there was nothing more than a finger pointing at me and signaling me to com closer. A small smile grew as I got closer.

"Why don't you hop in my ride sweet thing." A voice said faintly from inside the car.

The door opened and I slipped inside. I closed the door and the car pulled away from the curb just as quickly as it pulled up.

"So! How are you?" I asked.

"I'm better now that you're back. I should be asking how you are though."

"I'm just glad to be home that's all! I missed you! I missed the guys and my mom. But I really missed you. You look good. Different. You changed your hair again. I liked it blown out."

He smiled at me and took off his sunglasses.

"Well I'm like a chameleon mama. I change when my surrounding do."

Those eyes remained the same. Those soft honey brown eyes that made my heart race.

"I heard you and Warner Brothers are going through it."

A sigh had left his chest as he sat back on the seat.

"I just want ownership and creative freedom. That's all. I'm tired of them telling me that I have a deadline. What for? I should be able to make my music when I want to."

"Well why can't you guys work something out?"

"Because it's not about the music anymore. It's about the bottom line."

The car fell silent again followed by more conversation.

"What's going on with you and Morris?"

The mood had suddenly changed as if I had threaten him.

"Don't wanna talk about it."

He was never this cold whenever we talked. There was a time where he could tell me anything.

"Ok. Well you know that if you ever wanna talk about-"

He cut me off before I could give him any warm words.

"I won't. It's over with."

I couldn't understand what was going on with him. This was not the same friend and lover I had left a year and a half ago. What happened to him?

"You've changed a lot since I've been gone huh? New look new friends new band. New dancers." I shot at him.

He thinks I don't know about the pretty young thing that was dancing with him. He cut his eyes at me and I could feel that he was uncomfortable but one way or another I was going to get him to talk to me whether he wanted to or not.

"So you saw the show?" He asked me with excitement in his voice.

"Oh yeah! I saw the show. I never miss a performance. Too bad you missed my graduation ceremony though. It's ok I know you were busy."

He head turned sharply to face me but I wouldn't look at him because he knew that I was hurt for him not being there on my big night.

"Regan I'm sorry. I wanted to be there I really did but you know I can't do too much with the contract I'm under. I can make it up to you I promise."

"How Prince? How can you make that up you said that you'd be there! You gave me you're word!"

Now he knew just how pissed off I was. As much as I loved him I wanted to smack him.

  "Regan I said I'm sorry what more do you want me to do?"

  "There's nothing you can do! It's over."

The awkward silence filled the car once more. He grabbed my hand and grazed his thumb over the ring he had given me before I went back to college.

  "Have you ever taken it off?" He asked me nervously.

I looked over at his thumb circling the diamond.

  "No I haven't taken it off." I giggled.

  "That what I like to hear."

Silence again surrounded us as we pulled up to the doors of Paisley Park.

  "I really did miss you Mouse. I hope you know that. And I really am sorry about missing your ceremony. I know it was important to you for me to be there."

I didn't say anything I just smiled and ran my right hand down his face.

  "I know you do. I can't stay mad at you for long anyway. I love you too much for that."

The driver opened the door and let us out as Prince took my lonely bag out of the car with him. We made it inside the house just as the rain began to come down.

  "So you redecorated the place!" I said as I looked down at the floor that was now tiled with his newly favored symbol.

  "Yeah I wanted to change some things. Most things are still the same."

  "Like the studio?"

  "Yeah. And our room."

A grin was on his face as if he was up to something. That was the face of trouble.

  "What are you up to now Skipper?" I asked him.

  "Nothing. I got some new music I want you to hear. Come with me." He said.

I took his hand and we went up to his studio. When we went inside it was just like how I remembered. The only thing different was the man. We sat down behind his soundboard and he he had played me some of his unmixed recordings. There was a new edge to his sound and it made me worry about it. It made me worry about him.

  "Prince? Tell me what's going on with you."

He turned the song off and let out a huff of frustration.

  "Regan I told you. I don't wanna talk about it."

  "You might not want to but I'm asking you to talk to me. I'm worried about you. You've gotten distant. You stopped calling and your letters were few and far between. Did I do something?"

He sighed again before he turned to me. His eyes were filled with a hurt that I've been trying to avoid.

  "Why didn't you tell me? Why did I have to hear from my dad and your mom about what happened."

Just like that it finally came out.

  "They weren't supposed to say anything at all. I wanted to be the first to tell you. I wanted to be home when I did."

  "Regan you graduated six months ago. You could have told me before then."

  "Prince I didn't know before then."

The room fell silent as he turned back to his soundboard staring blankly at the buttons.

  "How long?"

  "Prince I-"

  "How long???"

I could find a way to tell him without causing him to be angry.

  "GOD DAMNIT REGAN HOW LONG!?!?!?"

  "Two......months. Two months."

His quickly stood up from his chair and bolted from the studio.