All In The Name Of...

Pulling Teeth

December 4th.

"So, how exactly are we going to go about this?" Trixie asked, staring at the white, plain-style house from my car. "We can't beat around the bush too much, but I think asking straight on might be a little unsettling."

I played with my thumbs, sighing. "We appeal to the fact that she's emotionally driven, and give her the same story I did with you. We also have to make sure they're both willing, though. You do have a business appeal, right?" The bassist nodded, crossing her arms. 

"Alright, then. Let's do this."

Both of us got out of the car quickly, before we could hesitate again, and made our way up the short driveway up to the house. A small cat blinked at me from the window, and I chuckled. "Typical," Trixie laughed. "The lesbians with a pussycat." I rolled my eyes, but snickered again.

After a short moment of waiting, the door opened, revealing Jasmine Stud, as the world knew her. Her black hair was straightened into wispy strands and pulled up, and she looked, as usual, stressed out. Her eyes widened when she saw us, but then she sighed, rolling her eyes. "Vicky," she turned back, calling, "You might want to get this one." We heard a sigh from the back room, but then, in the back of the living room I was peering into, I saw Vicky.

"Holy shit," she breathed out when she saw us. She looked exhausted, but still smiled at us. "Come on in, guys," she greeted kindly, "It's good to see you two again!" Vicky's house was very cozy and modern, and she seemed happy with it. "So, how have things been with you both?" 

Trixie shrugged, ignoring the obvious awkwardness in the room. "Got married to Brian Warner- I assume you remember him from that party we all first went to with the Guns N' Roses boys?- and now I background sing for him. I have a shop, too, back in Florida." She seemed very quiet, but still striking with her words, as she was with me.

Clearing my throat, I smiled. "Dropped an album, met some new friends, working on some projects. Just had to have my house rebuilt, too." Vicky raised an eyebrow, and I groaned. "My dear mother made her escape from jail, and apparently, she isn't over herself. No one's seen her since, though... I do have real news, though." A small smile came to my face, and Vicky looked at me curiously again. "I'm pregnant."

"Ooh, congratulations!" Vicky laughed, hugging me. "How far along are you?" I let her know that I was only three weeks going, but then quickly changed the subject to ask how she was doing; as much as I wanted to talk about my personal life, I did come here with a mission. "Well, Jazzy and I tied the knot, and got a couple of cats, Presley and Buddy. We have the music shop, and Jazz still works for her uncle, so she's busier than ever..." She paused for a moment, but then added, "It's nice, though, settling down, I must say." Trixie glanced at me nervously at that comment.

Jasmine, unlike her wife, wasn't content with sitting around and talking. "I assume you both came for something?" Trixie rolled her eyes at the bluntness and irritated tone of the statement, and I just avoided her gaze. "You don't just show up all of a sudden to your ex-friend's house to have a cup of tea."

"Actually," Trixie spoke back defensively, "We did." She turned toward me, and I resisted the urge to hit her for putting me on the spot.

Smiling softly at Vicky and not even bothering to look at Jasmine, I stated, "We want to get the Conspirators back together, and we wanted to know if you'd be in." I saw a light twinkle in Vicky's eyes, but then she glanced back at Jazzy with hesitation. I glanced at her as well, and it was obvious that she was not happy with the idea at all. However, it also wasn't her decision.

I decided to just lay it on the table. "Trixie and I have both agreed that what happened on the tour that night was no way to end a band, and it certainly wasn't a way to end a band that was just getting to the top. Vicky, this band isn't just four random people with a name slapped onto it, and it ain't just a couple of us. It's the four of us, together that made it so special."