Goddess of Rock

Seven

Blaze and Raven were no more surprised than the siblings that made up the other half of their band when they were announced the winners of tonight's challenge. The former'd seen in the eyes of the man they were competing for right from the first beat and chord that he was already highly impressed. Moving through the rest of the song'd just impressed him even more, which was no doubt hard to do to someone with as much experience in his chosen industry as he.

None of them were quite sure what such a decision'd mean for what lil of the show was left to be filmed, though. On the one hand, it was obvious that Bobby felt the sisters'd been less-than-honest with him, which could very well get them eliminated. Then again, on the other hand, Lacey was fake and manipulative, while Jess seemed like a pretty tough cookie–but not one who could handle him and his Lifestyle for long.

Upon gathering for that Night's elimination, neither of the sisters looked anything short of gorgeous, but not in an overly-flashy kinda way. Jess got a lil more dolled up than they'd done while still retaining more of her tom-boyish look, but the last girl's appearance was just downright laughable. Given what they'd overheard after the Return of her and her parents that afternoon, they didn't have a Shadow of a doubt that she'd be going home tonight for sure. The sisters were awesome at hiding in plain sight for reasons the bassist couldn't Begin to fathom, and they'd overheard something they Wished they'd known about this tramp all along.

Moments after they'd gotten into their places, Bobby and Big John came out from wherever they'd been hiding leading up to this moment. In the hands of the latter were only two backstage passes, and that clearly meant that half of the remaining contestants'd been picked for elimination. Which two was uncertain, given all the reasons he could use for tonight, but they all knew they'd find out soon enough–and that whoever didn't get to stay wasn't gonna be happy. The pair of sisters just hoped that if Lacey got eliminated, she could keep her shit together long enough to vacate, or they'd be forced to take drastic measures.

"Good Eve, ladies," Bobby said, giving the group a smile. "I think we all know why we're gathered here–again."

"I think it's pretty obvious, yeah," Blaze answered, sounding a bit snarky. The other ginger jumping her just before they'd come downstairs'd put her in a bit of a bad mood, or she wouldn't have been the least bit rude.

"Then let's get into the nitty-gritty of it, shall we?" he asked, taking the first pass from the former Marine.

Each woman at least figuratively held her breath as he glanced down at it, then back up at them.

"The first one I wanna have come down tonight's Raven," the bassist announced, chuckling at the surprise that crossed her face before a smile lit it up.

"I'm more than a bit surprised," she admitted once she'd gotten in front of him.

"So I can tell by your expression," Bobby chuckled, slipping the pass over her head. Once it was hanging around her neck, he leaned down enough to give her a gentle kiss, just like he'd done at every elimination thus far.

The brunette woman couldn't help a giggle as she headed off to get herself changed and cleaned up, no longer needing to be dolled up.

"The next I wanna have come down tonight's Blaze," he announced as he took the second pass from Big John.

With a smile stretching across her face, she glided down the risers and short aisle till she stood before him.

"Ya seem just as surprised as your sister," the bassist told her with a soft chuckle.

"Not surprised–more like relieved," Blaze laughed.

Joining her laughter, Bobby leaned down to give her just as short and gentle a kiss, and he wasn't disappointed to get her typical reaction.

"Uh, uh, uh, big boy," the younger ginger said sternly. "If you're dead serious about this, you'll continue waiting."

"All right, all right," he laughed. "Can't blame me for trying, just like every Time, though."

Rolling her eyes, but still smiling at him, she turned to head off in her sister's wake, leaving him to face the last two girls.

The bassist took a deep breath as he looked at each of them and read their expressions as he collected his Thoughts. Jess looked accepting, like she'd realized that while they'd chemistry with one another, they hadn't quite had enough for him to ultimately keep her around. Lacey looked like she was ready to blow a gasket, and he suspected he'd get flipped off rather than hugged upon her exit like had already happened with another eliminated girl a couple weeks ago.

"Ladies, I'm sure you're wondering why you're my picks for elimination this Time," Bobby started.

"Well, no shit, Bobby–they fuckin' lied to ya about being related for weeks!" the remaining ginger snapped.

"And with no ill Intent, may I remind ya, now that I've heard all possible sides of this story," he growled, his temper flaring. "Unlike you, who's been telling lie after falsehood, no doubt to get into my britches and wallet."

Lacey's eyes widened at the same Time her jaw dropped, and he continued before she could get a word in edgewise.

"Ya tell me that you're a starving artist–your dad swears you're a Presidential Scholar living off the largesse of your family," the bassist said. "Now, ya tell me–how do those two sides of a person mesh in any way that's good?"

Sputtering in shock, she was unable to come up with the slightest excuse.

"Drunk or sober–the former of which, I sincerely despise since I got dried out Years ago–you've two different sides to ya," Bobby continued. "Two sides that don't mesh at all, and I personally feel like you've been even less honest with me than Blaze and Raven ever have. In the End, I could trust those two with my very Life before I could trust you as far as I can pick ya up and throw ya."

Unable to think of a way to fight his decision and Change his mind, the older ginger huffed and stormed off without even bothering to flip him off. He, Jess, and Big John all watched as she disappeared, all three of them feeling as if a weight'd been lifted when that particular Storm Cloud blew away. It was then and only then that he turned his attention to the only blonde contestant who'd made it almost to the End, a bit of a sad smile on his face. The Emotion that lit up her eyes said that she'd seen this moment coming and she wasn't surprised by it as she walked down to stand in front of him.

"Jess, I just wantcha to know that I still consider ya a good friend," he told her as he brushed her hair back behind her ear.

"Hey, I consider ya a good friend, too, Bobby," the young woman said. "But I think that's as far as it'll ever go between us."

"At least we're on the same page with that," Bobby chuckled.

"More like, at least we can part amicably," she laughed, tucking his hair behind his own ear.

Thankfully, she didn't try to deny him when he leaned down for one last kiss, both knowing it'd be the last one they'd ever share, whether it was for the cameras or not. After they'd parted, he stood next to his friend and watched as she disappeared to go pack her bags, a hand rising so he could gently thumb away the lipstick no doubt left in the corner of his mouth.

Now his job'd just gotten a lil bit harder than before as he was forced to choose one sister over the other–but in the meantime, he needed to call home for a tether to Sanity.