Author's notes: I seem to be a sucker for AU first time meetings. This probably won't have the heat of Island Fire (see what I did there?) because they're not going to get together until the end, but that doesn't mean I can't throw in some stuff that will veer towards an M rating! I've got ideas!
XxXxXxXxX
As always, it was a scene of controlled chaos. Even though the venue was small, VIPs, tour crew, musicians, and hangers-on milled about backstage. Some focused on the job ahead, and some just hoped to catch a glimpse of the star of the night. The opening band had lit up the crowd and the sound check for the main show had been completed. For many, it was just a matter of waiting for the curtains to open and the light show to begin.
Not so for Jane Rizzoli. Where everyone else's job in the band involved waiting, as personal security guard to her childhood friend and Billboard Country's current #1, her job was all about anticipating. Some might be trying to relax before the show began; Jane was a coiled ball, eyes everywhere, ready to intercept.
"You look like you're ready to eat a small baby," a female voice said.
Jane didn't even need to turn to see who it was. "Only because my doctor told me I needed to cut back on my portions."
The woman laughed and hooked her arm through Jane's. "Relax. I know you have everything under control. You're the best at what you do."
"Considering what you pay me, Lindy, I'd better be."
"Lindy Keane," another voice rang out.
"Oh, God," she groaned. "Remind me to deduct your pay for not protecting me from him."
'Him' was Jasper Cartier, ambitious reporter for one of the country's largest gossip sites. Jane touched her gun.
"I can make it look like an accident," she whispered.
Lindy bit her bottom lip to hold back the laughter. "Shhh! If he hears you, so will the rest of the world by morning." She pasted a smile on her face. "Jasper, you made it!" They air-kissed and Jane rolled her eyes.
"Sorry I didn't make the Boston show. I was told there was a mixup with my backstage pass." He glared at Jane who didn't even bother to look at him.
Lindy bit her bottom lip again. "You know how crazy the first night of the tour is, sweetie! I'm sure it was an honest mistake. Besides, it's a 40-city tour. Plenty of time to join the party."
This seemed to make him happy, because he said, "Okay, you're forgiven. But I expect an exclusive interview tonight."
"Why do you think I didn't give anyone an interview last night?"
Her question and her coyness made Jane snort through her nose. She knew the real reason was because Boston was their home town and Lindy wanted to celebrate the start of the tour with friends and family. "Anyway, hate to break this up," her tone betrayed her words, "but you've got 10 minutes, and your pre-stage beauty routine will take up most of it."
"So funny," Lindy said. "Well, Jasper, duty calls. I'll see you after the show."
"I'll be waiting."
"I'm sure you will," Jane muttered under her breath as they walked away.
"Be nice," Lindy whispered.
Jane grunted a response, her eyes never pausing along the way. People waved and smiled, but she didn't return the gesture. She knew it wasn't for her, anyway. So long as Lindy Keane walked beside her, the attention would never be for her, and she was alright with that. She never craved the adoration that went Lindy's way. She was more than happy to be, as her friend liked to call her, 'the strong and silent type'. For Jane, emphasis on the 'silent'. She was more an observer than a talker, and that was just the way she liked it. Besides, talking took her away from the most important thing in her life: her job. It opened her up to making mistakes, and to her, that was unacceptable. Her palms itched, almost mocking her for her thoughts. Never again.
They made it to the dressing room with 7 minutes to spare. Jane had lied when she told Jasper about Lindy's beauty routine. Makeup made sure to catch the singer well before the curtain went up. Her routine was something a bit simpler. She spent a few minutes sitting with Jane, her lifelong friend. Sometimes they were silent. Other times they chatted the entire time. Tonight, Lindy chose something in the middle.
"Not as crazy as last night, huh?" They were sitting side by side on the couch, and she nudged Jane with her shoulder.
Jane remembered the security nightmare of getting everyone proper clearance and making sure no eager fan snuck in. "It's better tonight," she agreed.
"So relax. You're wound tighter than my grandfather's watch." Jane pressed her hands together, and it didn't go unnoticed by Lindy. "Hey," she said softly. "I get it, you know? But it was over a year ago. I thought you were over this." She reached out to touch Jane's hand, but it was pulled away.
Jane didn't want to ask Lindy when she thought she'd be over it. Was 3 months an appropriate amount of time? 6 months? How long would Lindy expect herself to get over it? 'It'. She couldn't even get beyond giving it a label. She flexed her hands, reveling in the pleasure/pain it gave her.
"They're just sore. It rained today." She knew Lindy wasn't completely convinced, but neither said anything more about it. Instead, Jane pushed back her jacket cuff to look at her watch. "Three minutes to go. Let's get this show on the road, huh?"
Lindy stood, stretching her arms high above her head. She held out a hand and helped Jane to her feet. "You know I love you, right?"
There had been a time when Jane wanted that to mean more, but she was well aware of Lindy's preference when it came to bed partners. It was almost as if Lindy read her mind, because she added, "If I ever change my mind, you'll be the first person I'll call."
Jane laughed for the first time that night. "You wish! You had your chance." She waved her hand dismissively, causing Lindy to burst out laughing. "Come on," Jane said once she caught her breath. "Can't keep 'em waiting."
XxXxXxX
She put the Bluetooth in one ear and had just finished putting an earplug in the other when the curtain opened and the roar of the crowd greeted Lindy and her band. The lights were like looking into the sun and Jane squinted while she did a visual sweep. Security guards were positioned between the stage and the first row, though Jane had to admit, after 2 tours and over 500 cities, they never had a problem with stage jumpers. She didn't really expect it for the 3rd tour either, but it was always part of the security detail. She tapped the device in her ear.
"How do things look, Tiny?"
It only took a second to get a response. "Lookin' good, Jane. Just patrolin' the back right now. Not half as crazy as last night."
"Good. I'm going to head up top and have a look. Keep me in the loop."
"You got it, boss."
Tony "Tiny" Sallis was one of the few people Jane trusted. He was 6'6' and 285lbs, but it wasn't his size that was the factor. It was his attention to detail, and even though she was determined to check and double-check everything, deep down, his presence gave her confidence. He had been with the crew from the very beginning and was the one to find Jane when "it" happened. When it was all over, the ordeal brought them together rather than push them apart. Her hands twinged at the memory.
'Up top' was just above the 2nd tier of the venue. Unlike previous tours that involved 40K seat stadiums and tricky security issues, this one was meant to bring the fans and the singer closer together. 'Intimate venues' the manager said, though Jane wanted to know how 2000 people equaled 'intimate'. At least it made security that much easier. Jane prowled around the upper level, eyes and ears open to anything that might be out of place. She did one lap then turned around and came back again, satisfied there was nothing to worry about.
"All clear up here, Tiny," Jane said, touching the earpiece.
The line crackled. "Roger that," he replied. "It's all good here."
"Okay. Be down in a minute."
The connection closed and she took a moment to lean against a railing and look down at the stage. The acoustics in the building were sharp and clear, and Lindy's voice rose to the ceiling. Jane smiled. Before it got crazy, before "it" happened, this was what it was all about; just two childhood friends living the dream. It was nice to be reminded of that sometimes. The song was over and Lindy launched into her #1 song. With one last look, Jane took that as her cue to return to the main floor.
XxXxXxX
"This is so great, Maura!" the girl on her left squealed. The volume of her voice was so loud that it cut through the industrial earplugs Maura had in her ears. The concert was over, but everyone knew it wasn't quite done until at least one encore was performed, so the crowd stood waiting, clapping and whistling and encouraging the star of the night to return to the stage.
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourself, Cailin." Though she was never the kind to come to these sort of things, she was genuinely happy for her. She barely got to see her half-sister these days, now that the younger girl was going to school in London, but a short break in the school term gave them the opportunity to get together. Maura never pictured that would mean standing shoulder to shoulder at a concert whose decibels were well outside of Maura's comfort zone, but when Cailin mentioned her love for Lindy Keane and her music, Maura knew just the thing to celebrate their reunion. They started in Boston, their hometown, and Maura surprised her by taking her to Chicago for a second concert. She smiled, knowing how excited the girl would be when she found out about the VIP tickets.
Cailin mistook the smile for a grimace. "I know this isn't your thing. It really means a lot to me that you would do this anyway."
Maura shook her head. "Really, it's okay. I'm happy that you're happy. Do you think she'll do the same encore as last night?"
Cailin nodded. "In her last tour, she only changed the set list in the middle. Besides, she hasn't sung 'Well-Worn Boots' or 'Blanket Under the Stars' yet, and those are her classics." Maura tried not to smile at the idea that a song no older than 5 years was considered a 'classic'.
Sure enough, Lindy came back on to a thunderous ovation and performed the two songs as Cailin had predicted. The crowd sang along and clapped at the singer's prompts, and when the last note rang around the venue, she brought out the entire band and took a bow, each member tossing a souvenir into the crowd, much to their delight. The crew waved and left the stage, one by one, with Lindy being the last. She took a little longer to say goodbye before eventually leaving, too. The house lights came on and after some time to get oriented to the surroundings, the fans slowly dispersed, another satisfied crowd.
Cailin hugged Maura tightly. "Thank you so much. What a great way to end our last night."
"Well, it's not over yet. I've got one more surprise before I send you back to England tomorrow."
Cailin frowned, curious and surprised. "You didn't say anything. What is it?"
Maura reached into her handbag and produced to laminated passes. "I was told these would get us backstage to meet someone. I don't know if that's true." Her smile prevented the hives from appearing. Cailin practically lifted her off her feet.
"OH MY GOD!" she squealed. "You didn't! Oh my God, you did!"
Maura carefully slipped the lanyard over Cailin's neck. "If we go to the side of the stage, security will let us through. Are you ready?"
"Totally!"
XxXxXxX
The real security job happened after the concert, when excited fans summoned up their courage to try and meet their idol. Adrenaline was a funny thing, and Jane knew this was the time to be most on her guard. They bustled Lindy right to the dressing room to give the singer time to decompress and catch her breath, and Tiny took his spot outside the door without having to be told. Jane gave him a thumbs up and began making arrangements for the select few who were allowed backstage. The venue prepared a room with some food and drink, and plenty of space to mingle, though she knew the real after concert party would be at the hotel. Having not eaten since the morning, she was tempted to grab some finger food, but was shooed away by the silent glare of the caterer.
She brushed aside the dismissal and did a quick yet thorough sweep of the room. When she was satisfied it was all clear, she returned to Tiny.
"She almost done?" she asked.
"I tapped on the door. She told me '5 minutes'." His falsetto made her laugh. "That was 6 minutes ago."
"Okay. Why don't you start letting people in, and I'll drag out the princess."
"You got it."
She went up to the dressing room door. "You can't hide from Jasper all night, you know."
The door swung open, followed by Lindy's laugh. "Gee, I thought if I stayed in here long enough, you'd 'take care of it'."
"It's never too late," Jane replied, only half-joking.
"Oh, I'm out here now, might as well face the masses," Lindy sighed dramatically.
"It should be a small crew tonight," Jane told her, all business now. "Only 100 passes were available so we're not going to have the craziness we had in Boston. We'll spend about an hour here, then head back to the hotel. It'll be even less people there. Only 50 gold passes. "
"Media, mostly?"
"Yeah, I think so. Some radio station winners and some fans with money to burn. No offence."
Lindy shrugged away the comment. "The money from the auction goes to charity, so everyone's a winner."
"You want to meet them first?"
"You know the media bore the shit out of me," Lindy said. "Besides, if it wasn't for the fans, I wouldn't be here, so yeah, let's meet them first."
XxXxXxX
"Passes, please."
Maura looked up at the large man and wondered what percentage of body fat he had. He towered over her by a full foot and was twice her weight. But there was something kind in his caramel eyes that brought out a smile. She handed him the passes and waited for him to scan the barcodes. He compared the numbers with ones on his clipboard and when he saw they matched, he handed the passes back with a big smile.
"Nice to see you ladies," he said. "My name's Tiny. If you have any questions tonight, just ask. Food and drinks are available, but word of advice? Save your appetites for the hotel. You'll get some really good food there. But feel free to help yourselves, alright?"
"Thanks, Tiny," Cailin said, even though her eyes were already scanning the crowd.
He chuckled. "She'll be out shortly. Don't be afraid to say hello. She's one of the nicest people you'll ever meet."
He barely finished his sentence when the tone of the room changed and everyone knew Lindy had made her presence known. Chatter got louder as people tried to engage her in conversation. Maura watched enviously at the woman who was able to deftly give people attention and yet move on to the next person seamlessly. It was a kind of social comfort so completely foreign to Maura.
"Did you want to say hello?" Maura asked Cailin. "I'm not sure what the protocol is here."
Tiny leaned down. "Word of advice? Stay cool. Go grab a drink. She'll come to you, I promise."
Cailin thought about it for a minute and nodded. "You're probably right. I mean, you would know better than anyone."
She grabbed Maura's hand and guided them to the food table. When she saw her half-sister wrinkle her nose at the offerings, Cailin giggled. "You're such a foodie. And relax. You're so nervous."
"It's why I work with dead people, Cailin. Too many variables." Too many ways to embarrass herself. Too many ways to disappoint someone.
"She won't sing 'Lonely Eyes' after, you know, the whole thing with that crazy fan," someone said off to the side, whispering to their friend. "I don't think she's been the same. Fans are nuts."
"She doesn't sing it because it was written by her guitarist," Caili retorted loudly. "He died of cancer 6 months ago, jackass."
Lindy chose that moment to come to Cailin's side. Having caught the entire conversation, she stared down the accuser, though it was Cailin who immediately apologized.
"I'm so sorry," she said. "It wasn't my place to say."
Lindy held up a hand. "You had every right to say. And you are absolutely right. Kevin Flanagan wrote that song and it breaks my heart to think about singing it." She looked at the two guilty culprits who were red with embarrassment. "And I'll have you know, not all fans are crazy." She turned to Cailin who was dumbstruck. "I mean, you sound pretty smart. What's your name?"
"Cailin," she blurted.
Laughing good-naturedly, she held out a hand. "Nice to meet you, Cailin. I'm Lindy."
"Yeah, I know!" she beamed. "I mean, I'm a huge fan. We saw your show in Boston last night. It was awesome. Tonight's was, too,"
"Are you going to Detroit next?" the singer smiled.
"I wish! But I've got to go back to London tomorrow. This was my sister's going away present." She stepped to the side and pulled at Maura's elbow. "This is Maura."
"Very nice to meet you, Maura."
She politely returned the handshake. "You as well." She glanced at the tall dark brunette who had stood silently beside the singer the entire time. She smiled at the woman who seemed to be taken aback by the gesture.
"Are you two coming back to the hotel?" Lindy asked.
Cailin snuck a glance to Maura. "I'm not sure I can."
"Of course you can," Lindy replied. "You've got the gold pass." She pointed to the laminated pass around Cailin's neck.
Cailin chuckled. "No, what I mean is, I'm not sure I can. My flight is super-early tomorrow."
The singer scoffed. "All the more reason to stay up. That way, you'll be so tired on the flight, you won't want to do anything but sleep." The brunette tapped Lindy on the shoulder and jerked her head towards a figure approaching. "I'm sorry I've got to deal with this. Say you'll come. I'll love to talk to you about London. I haven't been there in ages."
Cailin looked to Maura for silent approval. The older sister sighed, "Fine. But I don't want to hear about it in the morning." The wind was knocked out of her when Cailin wrapped her in a hug.
"You're the best!"
"That's great!" Lindy said. "I'll see you there!" With one final smile she turned to greet the new arrival halfway. "Jasper!"
XxXxXxX