Living Like A Runaway

T.n.T. (Terror 'N Tinseltown)

[A/N: I don't want to drag out the entire tour, but I also don't want to just skip it all... Decisions, decisions... No, but seriously, don't kill me; I'm skipping some time.]

TIME JUMP TO 11/20/87...

So far, the tour had been just as great as it had been rocky. Practically speaking, all three of our bands were at the height of success. Each and every show was sold out from the moment we stepped on stage to the moment that Mötley Crüe walked off at the end. We were invincible and unstoppable, and despite everyone getting high and drunk and stage-jumping and being torn apart by fans, all of us were in one piece.

So, it was only a matter of time before something overly dysfunctional actually happened.

Axl, as usual, was at least somewhat drunk whilst Guns was on stage. We were in Atlanta tonight, and the crowd was just as rowdy as ever. Axl had invited a few friends of his that lived in this area, and of course, since Axl was never one to sell someone short, he gave them seats right in the front. Well, since the crowd was getting so bad (and since the security wasn't exactly the most dependable on this tour), the guards started to shove everyone back, including Axl's friends.

It was no secret to any of us that Axl had some anger issues. Nothing was currently diagnosed, but the fact of the matter was, when Axl got mad, Axl got fucking mad. When he saw that guard shoving his friend, it was the straw that broke the camel's back. He literally leaped into the crowd and straight-out punched the security guard in the face. 

Guns, of course, tried to continue, but Axl was literally dragged off the stage kicking and screaming during Mr. Brownstone. Duff was the one who ran off stage in a panic. "What the fuck are we supposed to do?" He asked. "These fuckers ain't gonna shut it down until we get it handled..." He turned to me. "Stella, do you think you could fill in?"

My eyes widened. "Shouldn't I go down there with him? He's gonna be fucking pissed if I don't go with him." I was the one who was going to have to bail him out, of course. 

The bassist sighed. "Yeah, but you're a singer, and you know the list like the back of your hand! It ain't like Vince Neil'd do it, and we can't just cut out the set now!" 

Jasmine sighed. "Look, I can be somewhat of an attorney until we get a proper one... I studied a lot of law in high school, and was doing it on the side afterward. I'll go with him and explain the whole thing, okay? He'll survive, Stel. Now, go on stage and take his place. I think if anyone had to, he'd be glad it was you." She gave me a reassuring smile, and of course, I sighed.

So, I ended up doing practically the entire set for that night with GnR. It was exhilarating in the sense that I had always been a fan of theirs, and now I was performing with them. However, the riot for them was twice of what it was for the Conspirators, and the fact that everyone just watched Axl get arrested only made it more rambunctious. We made it through, though, even if we were walking on eggshells the entire time.

The very second that set ended though, I was hauling ass down to the county jail in a taxi with Izzy, who'd volunteered to go with me. We arrived, of course, to find Axl swearing profusely at the cops who had him in a holding cell. "Jesus fucking Christ!" Axl exclaimed when he saw us. "Where the fuck were you two?" He especially looked at me as he asked, and suddenly I felt extremely guilty.

I chose not to answer, but Izzy did; Izzy knew how to react to Axl much better than I did, anyway. "We were off finishing the set for you, dumbass," He remarked. "She actually sang almost the whole damn thing for you after you punched the guard in the fucking face!" 

Axl crossed his arms and glared at the rhythm guitarist. "So? The fucker was shoving around my friend, man. Would you have just let that shit happen? And Stella, why the hell didn't you just come down with me? I could have been out by now!" I stared at my feet and listened to it happen.