Part 2- This is Your Pilot Speaking

Chapter 4

Bruce and Austin sat around the fire pit in the back garden of their family home. They were enjoying a glass of cognac and a cigar. Neither of them were smokers, but it had been a while since it was just the two of them together. They had already drank a case of beer between them and were well into the bottle of cognac.

"And then Connor locked me out of the room when I was naked. It was quite embarrassing going back downstairs to the lobby with my willy hanging out trying to explain how my guitarist is a cunt and I need an extra room key."

Bruce laughed with his son. He enjoyed hearing stories of his time on the road. It reminded him of his early days with Maiden. What Austin felt with his mates in As Lions, he himself had felt with the guys in Maiden. Now they were more like business partners than friends, each one of them going their own ways after a show. He didn't mind it, but at times he missed the comardery they had in the beginning. Listening to Austin and Griffin talking about their bands made him realize how much he had enjoyed it.

Austin looked at his Dad, he was enjoying his time with him. It was rare for just the two of them being together. Usually Paddy was with them, or Griffin. Griffin and Bruce were a lot of like, and often butted heads. Kia was busy with her acting career and had moved to central London so she could be closer to the theatre. There was still something that was nagging Austin, he still wanted to talk to Bruce about his relationship with Alice, and more importantly, his relationship with Paddy.

"Dad?" Austin put his glass down on the table, his cigar was long forgotten on an ashtray.

"Son?" Bruce took a drag of his cigar, letting the smoke twirl in his mouth before exhaling.

"I know we've talked about it before, but...." he took a deep breath, his head was buzzing from the alcohol and from the nicotine, "...what is going to happen with you and Mum? And what about that young bird you were with?"

Bruce sat quietly, he knew he had to explain himself, it was only fair. He looked up at Austin and gave him a smile, "Austin, I..." he was nervous, he didn't know how he was going to explain the situation he was in with his Son when he himself didn't know what was going on, "...I love your Mum. More than anything. She has been my true love since the day I met her. I worked hard trying to get her to notice me, and you know I don't try to impress anyone. If someone isn't interested in me, they can bugger off. I'll find someone that is. But I worked hard for your Mum to like me. She wouldn't look at me, and when she did, she would look at me as if I sprouted in extra head."

Austin let out a chuckle, he had always wondered how a young, beautiful lady from Missouri ended up with a long haired, loud mouthed, heavy metal singer from England.

"I believe she finally agreed to go out with me just to shut me up. I don't know why, but she ended up liking me. She's been the best thing that's happened to me. She gave me you and your siblings. She gave me a shoulder to cry on. She's told me to fuck off when I needed it."

"If you love her so much, why did you cheat on her...again?"

Bruce sighed, he wished he had an answer for that, he had been asking himself that same question, "I don't know. When I cheated on her 20 years ago, I was a young punk, had my head up my ass...thought I was shit hot and any girl that paid me any mind I would eat it up. When she caught me in Brazil, it was honestly the worst day of my life. I swore to her I would never cheat on her again...."

"Have you, before this time, I mean?"

Bruce grabbed the bottle of cognac and filled up his glass, his hand shaking as he did, "I have messed around a few times with fans. Nothing serious. I've made out with them, we felt each other up...maybe a little oral...." he could feel his cheeks redden. He had never told anyone about this, and now he was talking to his Son about the times he had cheated on his Mother, "...but I never went all the way until Alice. I promise you that."

Austin shook his head, he had known about Brazil and Alice, but he didn't know there were others. "Dad, kissing and petting is far more intimate than fucking. You can fuck a groupie and never kiss her, it's just a primal urge. Kissing though, there's love behind a kiss, there are feelings..." he grabbed a stick and poked at the embers in the fire pit, "....does Mum know about the others?"

Bruce shook his head, he had never let Paddy know. It would have killed her if she found out. He had enjoyed the company of a fan in just about every tour and city, especially since he came back to Maiden. He had never fucked any of them, but he had enjoyed himself with them.

"No, she doesn't know. And please...." he looked up at Austin, his eyes pleading, "...please don't tell her. Son, don't you feel the urge to hook up with a groupie after a show? Don't you enjoy the attention?"

Austin couldn't believe what he was hearing, "No. Fuck no. It's flattering, but I had never felt the urge to cheat on Liz. I love her. It's not hard to keep it in my pants." Austin gave his dad a smirk, knowing he didn't know what he was about to tell him, "One time though, before Liz and I were together, I had one of your fans proposition me."

Bruce raised his eyebrows, "What? When? Where?" he knew Maiden had some hardcore fans, but never thought they would try something with one of his kids.

"It was during the "Matter and Death" Tour. We were in Greece and some lady was backstage and she started talking to me. Mum was back at the hotel with Kia since she wasn't feeling well. Griffin was running around with Justin and Stanley. I was sitting on a chair on my own, and she came up to me. She told me that since she couldn't have you, I would do, since I was a Dickinson."

Bruce hadn't realized that his jaw had dropped. He couldn't believe this was the first time he had heard this story, "And...what did you say?"

Austin started to laugh, "Dad, I was 16. What do you think I said? I was on my way out when Rebecca grabbed me by the hand and pulled me away. She gave the lady a proper scolding and got her kicked out of the venue, threatening to call the cops on her for soliciting a minor. I begged her not to tell you or Mum, and she told me she would as long as it never happened again."

Bruce nodded, "Thank goodness for Mrs. McBrain. If it weren't for her some lady would've taken advantage of you."

"I don't think you can take advantage of the willing, Dad. Although I was only 16, I knew what I wanted." he winked his eye at Bruce, "But the thing is, now that I am becoming successful in my own band, I don't find it hard to tell a groupie that I'm not interested in her. Even if Liz isn't on the road with us. I love her, and only her."

They sat quietly, watching the embers slowly start to die. Bruce sighed as he stood up, "Son, I'm knackered. Let's get some rest. I'll tell you the rest of the story tomorrow."

Austin nodded, "Yeah, I'm tired as well. Don't wake me up too early though, I'm going to be hurting in the morning."

Bruce chuckled. He walked up to his Son and wrapped his arms around him, "I love you Son. Don't worry, everything is going to be alright. You'll see."

"It better be."