Intertwined

Breathe

"Do you think anyone is hurt?" Gaga whispers, drying her tears. 

"I think those were warning shots. We would have heard screams or something, right?" Bradley assures her. "I can go look-"

Gaga pushes Bradley to sit back. "No! Don't leave." Bradley sees the fear in her eyes. He feels her trembling against him.

His heart is beating for an entirely different reason. His adrenaline from fear was replaced with a need to protect the woman in his arms. "I won't. I'm just going to go look-"

"Don't." Gaga stops him from moving again. "Please." She quickly realized Bradley was impulsive and she couldn't bear to see him get hurt. For one reason or another she cared for him, she trusted him, she needed to be near him. They only just met but their connection felt as though they've known each other for years. 

"Ok...I won't." Bradley promised, sitting back comfortably against a pile of curtain material. He pulled her in and their faces remained close, both memorizing the lines and curves of the others face in silence.

Just as the last pair of hands in the theater were zip-tied, the man they called Ace looked around. "Where is she?" The other guards questioned him while they made their rounds to secure zip-ties. "Lady Gaga. And that other chick? And that guy from that show, what's his name-whatever, there are people missing. Fuck. Wait here." Ace starts searching around, poking under seats and looking under tables before he makes his way back stage.

"Do you think the authorities or someone is looking for us?" Gaga asked, unaware that she was drawing light circles over his chest, to calm her nerves. 

Bradley watched her small hand make shapes, slowly mimicking the motion on her bare back. "Well, if the show was cut from airing, they might think its technical difficulties but I'm sure someone will notice. I mean they have to. I think-shh, did you hear that?" Bradley listens intently after hearing something move. Gaga does the same until they both hear it getting closer. 

"I got one! Get over there and don't make me come looking for you again." They heard someone get hit and fall to the floor. "Get up. Tie this one up!" They hear steps scrambling away and then another pair of steps slowly getting closer, louder. 

As Bradley listened for the noise, he started to hear Gaga's breathing escalate. He looked down and saw she was hyperventilating. "Shh." He calmly warned, rubbing her back. "Breathe." Gaga tried to stop but the more she tried the louder and more shallower her breathing got. Bradley realized he didn't even know her real name. "La...Gaga, please." Her knuckles turned white as she clenched his shirt between her fingers. She felt so small in his arms. "Baby, you have to breathe." Bradley knew she was going to give up their spot so he did the only thing that had been running through his mind the moment he met her the night before. He pulls her head up from his chest and kisses her. The foot steps get closer and open a nearby door. Gaga's instinct to was to push him away if only to continue hyperventilating but his lips felt too good to let go. Her fingers lightened their gripped on his shirt but pulled him closer. The steps stop outside of their door. Bradley slips his tongue into her mouth, setting a slow pace feeling her breathing level out. His hands grip her hips, hearing the door open and the steps walk in. Gaga felt safe in his muscular arms, she felt warm to his touch and she felt complete while their tongues played in velvety distraction. The gunman pokes around the props but gives up easily and leaves. Bradley and Gaga part hearing the foot steps get further and further away. The two stare at each other listening.

"Sorr-" Before Bradley could apologize for his invasion Gaga's lips were back on his. 

She pulled away with a light bite of his bottom lip. "Thank you." Bradley could only swallow and nod in response. "And it's Stefani..." She added laying back on his chest. "...not that I don't like your little nickname." She smiled, feeling more relaxed after their kiss.

Bradley softly cleared his throat, smiling to himself. "Stefani...so... where are you from?"

Gaga smiled into his chest. "Are you really asking me that in this middle of a robbery?"

"Well, I was going to ask you tonight at a party or if you wanted to go for a drive but here we are." 

Gaga laughs softly and Bradley just knows that any louder and that would be his favorite sound in the whole world. "New York City, born and raised a good, catholic, Italian girl."

"You don't say. I'm from Pennsylvania, east coast too and I also was raise a good, catholic, Italian girl."  

Gaga laughs into his chest, looking up at him. "Oh really?" Bradley nods, watching her inch closer. "I don't believe you." She gets closer to him and dragging her tongue lightly across his bottom lip, kissing it gently. "I like doing that." She shyly confesses.

Bradley's hand gives her bottom a soft squeeze. "Doing what?" He whispers. 

"Kissing you." She whispers back. 

Loud yelling comes from the theater, as two voices argue. Gaga refuses to break eye contact and Bradley can tell she is trying her hardest to be brave. He tightens his hold. "We are going to get out of of this. We're going to be ok. And I'm going to kiss you a lot when we do, you can count on that."