The Glory of Them [Bastille Fanfiction]

Overjoyed April 2012

Nicole POV

I woke up alone, I was getting good at this after all lately your nights were spent in the studio. Today Virgin Records released Overjoyed. Yes it sold, but it didn't make any charts. Hence why getting out of bed was harder than usual today. Like always I took off the braclet you gave me on Christmas and showered before clasping it back onto my wrist. Janna had asked where I got it, I said from the company. My first cover up of us. I slipped into a black pencil skirt and red blouse before attempting to put on my heels. The drive to Virgin Records wasn't too bad, yet when I got there hell had frozen over. There stood a redhead, yelling at Bruce at the front desk.

"I need to get up there and see my boyfriend!"

"Ma'am... please."

"Bruce who is this?" I took off my sunglasses and examined the woman, she was pregnant, obviously upset for whatever hormonal reason.

"Carly Burns... I need to get up there and see my boyfriend Daniel Smith." For once in my life I felt angry towards another woman. As if she had just come and stolen you from my arms without effort. I blinked a few times and looked to Bruce before giving a nod.

"I'll... show her up Bruce." He only nodded before returning to his magazine. I got into the elevator and couldn't stop staring at the swollen stomach of this woman. This bracelet felt like it was burning my flesh now. "Miss Burns... Mr. Smith is one of my clients... is that his?" She shrugged slightly before forcing a smile.

"I don't know... I hope not, because I can't have that loser as a father for my baby. He's a nobody you should know that now. However if he becomes somebody just write the check to me because I'll take every fucking dime if this is his baby." You don't know me very well yet Dan, but a Clark trait tends to just make us angry and numb all in one alcohol fueled package. The elevator stopped and all I could do was nod before Janna stood before me. I grabbed onto her arm tightly and saw you ahead of me, looking at me like a dear in headlights from across the room. Then at the woman beside me.

"Take her to Dan."

"Why can't you?" I squeezed tighter, I had held in my emotions for the whole elevator ride. That was long enough.

"Do it... thanks." I let go as Janna rubbed her arm and nearly ran to my office, closing and locking the door. It was only noon, but I went for the bourbon and poured a small glass. I swear I could hear Steve telling me to sit it down, but I downed the glass. I sat it down once it was empty and sat on the sofa, closing my eyes before letting out a bitter laugh. This was a nightmare for a releasing day. No publicity. Just drama and bourbon. Then the persistent knocking. Slowly I got up from the sofa and unlocked it, letting you barge into the room.

"Nikki... I can explain." You whispered, then again we had to for the sake of us. If us was still a thing. The door quickly closed and locked.

"She doesn't know if it's yours...I don't wanna say what else she said."

"Yeah she told me.... she hopes it's not mine and so do I. I doubt it because the times don't match up."

"If it is yours?"

"She'll ask for money that's it." You sat down and it was obvious you noticed the bottle of bourbon and glass. "Bloody hell... Nicole really? No this isn't happening on my watch." I scoffed and sat down closing the lid on the bottle.

"I'm fine Dan... I'm not Steve or my father. I just needed a shot after being in the elevator with that.... bitch! You put up with that?! The names... the attitude... the negativity?" I mumbled, shaking my head.

"She was different when we first starting dating. I don't quite know what happened with her Nicole."

"I don't want to know. I don't want her in this building anymore Dan. I hope you made that clear to her." You nodded before standing and glancing at your watch.

"I'll shoot her a text. I've gotta get back to recording. You wanna join?" I shook my head and sighed, standing and walking over to you.

"I can't... I have to go talk you boys up for the next single. Have you decided what you want as the next one in June? You'll have to do a music video... Janna handles those."

"Actually Dick got a guy name Austin to create them... that's why I've come to get you... We filmed Bad Blood last week."

"Bloody Hell, not Austin." A sigh escaped my lips before you pressed your lips to them. "Mmm that makes it a bit better. Let me go see what hellish creation he has begun. It's too late now to fix it anyways because June is less than 2 months away from today and I can't fix the world that quick." I walked around you and let you out of my office before wandering to the studio. Janna glanced at me, it was obvious I would have to make up a story for my behavior earlier. I sat down and sighed flashing a smile to Austin before glaring at Dick. "I need to talk to you later. Mmmm?" Then it played. Like a planned train wreck across the screen that I couldn't pull the brake on. Merely because it was already done. The money already spent.

"So what do you think Nicole?" Austin grinned and I nodded with a smile.

"Brilliant as always. I'll come by your office later to discuss the next one. We can do some adjustments." He nodded and wandered out before I shot my glare at Dick. "I'm going to kick your.... ass. Hmmm?"

"I thought we could give him another chance."

"Not on this band. Sadly you've already booked him for the next one... so I can't put out the fire when it is already turned to ash. Alright so..." I pulled my phone from my pocket and scrolled through the schedule. "That shit show is getting released June 29th. We'll do an interview or two. I've booked you all for two festivals... Readings and Leeds... They're in August so I find it fit to send you all on tour in October with another single. Flaws."

"Flaws?"

"Yes, we'll call it the Flaws tour. Yes they already released it, but we'll release it as a single before they're on tour. Then the album will need to be done by Christmas... At least so I can sit down, check it out. We can get it on the press for March of 2013 and we'll spit out another single in January like I told the boys the when I signed them." I stood and glanced to you then Janna and Dick.

"Don't fuck it up Dick. I have all my eggs in this basket at the moment." With that I walked out and took off for the day.