Title: Love Will Stand When All Else Falls
Rating: T for violence
Summary: How would the story of Memphis have changed if Huey had received the brunt of their attackers' anger in the alley, all before he proposed to Felicia? Would there be a happy ending in their future?
Author's Note: This is my first step back into the fanfiction world in quite a few years, be kind please! Just for reference, the Huey I am picturing while I write this is Chad Kimball, as he is the Huey I've seen on stage. (He's also the Huey you've seen if you've watched Memphis on DVD) Additionally, I was really hoping to find more Memphis stories than I did! I was distraught to find that Memphis didn't even have a specific category on . If you know of any good Memphis fics here or on another site, please feel free to let me know! I would really appreciate it!
Huey Calhoun could have been considered many things in his lifetime, but well-off was never one of them. The Calhouns had never had a lot of money to spare, and the early death of Huey's father didn't help their situation. Mrs. Calhoun had done what she could to provide for her son, but even double shifts at the local diner weren't enough to cover more than the most basic costs. With all of his success on the radio over the past few years, and the possibility of his own television show on the horizon, Huey found himself with more money than he would have even dared to imagine just a few short years ago. He couldn't call himself rich, but being able to buy his mama a new house was more than anyone would have ever expected from Huey Calhoun. After the down payment on the house was taken from Huey's earnings he still had enough money left over to spare, and he knew just what to do with it. Felicia Farrell had been the inspiration that sparked his newfound career on the radio, and she was able to sing the music of his soul like no one else could. Huey knew that he loved Felicia, and was determined to marry her. He didn't care about the laws, or the people that were growing more and more restless by the day as he continued to spin race music in the center of their radio dials. Felicia meant more to Huey than anything in his life ever had before.
Huey had made his way down the nicer streets of Memphis, not as comfortable or happy as he was on Beale Street. There wasn't any music floating out onto the street, or happy couples dancing in clubs and bars. There was only the stiff and unexciting society that Huey was expected to be a part of. The white folk didn't dance their nights away or sing music so filled with soul that it could knock you to your knees, and Huey couldn't stand it. After wandering down the freshly swept streets with their manicured store fronts, Huey finally came across a jewelry store. He'd never even thought about setting foot into a store like this before, much less gotten this close. Huey paused outside the stores pristine glass doors, nervously smoothing down his hair and brushing off his leopard print jacket. Wiping his hands onto his wrinkled slacks, he took a deep breath, swung the door open, and stepped inside.
The bell hung on the door handle of the store was like an alarm, signaling to everyone inside that Huey had entered. Huey was so overwhelmed by the sight of the glass showcases filled with glittering jewels, he didn't immediately notice the incredulous stares of both customers and clerks. When he shook off the initial astonishment at his lavish surroundings, Huey was immediately overcome by a strong feeling of not belonging as he felt the hard stares of everyone around him. His flashy clothes and messy hair, tarnished by the smell of cigarettes and beer, stood out in stark contrast to his starched and proper surroundings. Huey stuffed his hands into his pockets and uncomfortably shifted from foot to foot until he caught sight of a store clerk that wasn't otherwise occupied. Shaking off the suffocating feeling that was threatening to force him right back out the door, Huey quickly strode over to the pretty blonde woman, who looked rather unhappy at the prospect of helping this unwelcome customer.
With a little effort Huey managed to plaster a tight lipped, crooked grin on his face.
"Can I help you, sir?" the woman asked through a smile that almost looked painful, placing an unusual emphasis on the title, which she no doubt thought did not fit the mess of a man in front of her.
"Uhm, yeah, I need to buy a..." Huey managed to blurt out before he fumbled over all of the thoughts bouncing around in his head. Screwing up his face in frustration, he drew a fidgeting hand out of his jacket pocket and leaned against the display case separating him from the obviously irritated woman. Taking a deep breath and collecting himself, Huey started again. "I need to buy an engagement ring." Pleased with himself, he let out a breath he wasn't aware he was holding, and stood up straighter.
The blonde woman gaped at Huey in disbelief for a short moment, before leading him to a case filled with diamond rings of all shapes and sizes. Huey knew he couldn't afford a ring the size that he thought Felicia deserved, but he left pleased with his selection. The ring he had picked out was smaller but elegant, and he thought it would fit Felicia perfectly. Tucking the small, velvet box into his jacket pocket, Huey headed for his beloved Beale Street to meet Felicia before the party at Delray's club.
As he rounded the corner of the alley that ran beside Delray's club, Huey swore that his heart would burst out of his chest at any given moment. Never in his life had Huey Calhoun been so nervous and excited all at the same time. Huey hoped beyond all else that Felicia would see his reasoning. Memphis loved him, and there was no doubt that they could love Felicia even more if they were given the chance. The sight of Felicia in her golden party dress made his already distressed heart skip a beat.
"Hey, Baby," Huey smiled in his usual greeting, his trademark country drawl causing playful smile to blossom across Felicia's face.
"Did you just hear that?" Felicia elatedly asked Huey, "They were playing Someday on the radio!"
"Mhm, cuz' it's a great record, baby!" Huey stated matter-of-factly, hoping that Felicia realized that fact just like he did.
"Oh, but it never made it much outside Memphis, they're still playing it," Felicia said, a little discouraged at the slow progress of her career as a singer.
"Well, they love you in Memphis. And they understand you in Memphis. Just like I love and understand you… and, uhm…" Huey was starting to lose his train of thought, as too many emotions were whirling around inside him, "I'm in Memphis," he finished, secretly letting out a sigh of relief in his mind. He was sure he would just start rambling, unable to say anything that he really meant to. He knew that Felicia loved him, but he also knew that she would do whatever it takes to make a success out of her career. Because of that, he needed to propose right then, not sooner or later.
"Ooohh, you're really smooth," Felicia giggled at her lover's attempt to woo her. Her blush immediately faded when she got a closer look at Huey's new outfit, and was replaced by an amused smirk. "By the way, what are you wearing?"
"Oh, I wanted to spruce up real special for the first party at Delray Records," Huey said proudly, spinning around to show off his entire outfit. "Whatchu think?"
"I think…" Felicia started off, putting on a façade extreme reflection, "You need a woman besides your mama to start pickin' out your clothes"
Huey didn't respond, but instead gave Felicia a thoughtful look, uneasily wiping the sweat from his face. He liked his clothes, but if Felicia wanted to pick out every outfit he wore for the rest of his life, that was perfectly okay with him. Huey was bracing himself to propose, trying to piece together the mess of words that he meant to say to Felicia. He had gone over the scenario a hundred times in his mind on the walk there, but the speech he had organized and drilled into his brain was instantly wiped away at the sight of her smile. Before he had the chance to pull the ring from his pocket and ask the question that was burning at the back of his throat, Felicia had stepped towards Huey and pulled him into a kiss that dumbfounded him. Felicia usually wasn't one for public displays of affection, so her actions filled Huey with even more confidence.
The tender moment in the alley beside Delray's club was immediately shattered when Huey heard footsteps and taunting voices ringing out behind him.
"Well, if it ain't Huey Calhoun. Woowee!"
Huey had been teased and ridiculed his entire life, so taunting was nothing new to him. But, there was something in the voices he heard that made the hair on the back of his neck stand up. The look of panic that washed away Felicia's smile made him instantly spin around. Huey was met with the sight of two white men, the looks on their faces a combination of disgust and loathing.
"Sorry boys, we're um… in a bit of a hurry," Huey said, trying to play the situation off as nothing as he firmly clasped Felicia's trembling hand. As the two turned the walk out of the alley and towards the door to Delray's, their path was blocked by two more men, one casually swinging a baseball bat back and forth as he approached them.
Huey felt Felicia standing rigidly next to him, and all he could think about was how important it was that she was safe. Huey placed himself between Felicia and the man with the bat, his body the only thing he had to place between his love and the hateful men before them. Quickly Huey turned to Felicia, "Go," being the only word he could get out before he felt an iron grip on his shoulder. The man grasping the baseball bad whipped Huey around, but his jaw was swiftly met with Huey's fist. Huey swung around to run after Felicia, again shouting at her to go, panic filling his voice even more this time.
Before he could see if Felicia was going to get away safely, the man that had been with the one he had just punched grabbed Huey by the arms and whirled him around, pinning his arms behind him in the process. Only aware of Felicia's frightened shouts, Huey didn't have time to brace for what was coming at him. The man he had punched only moments before was winding up and swinging the bat straight at Huey. The wooden bat whistled through the air and hit Huey, with a sickening thud, square in the stomach. Huey felt the hands that were grasping his arms let go, and he fell forward onto the unforgiving cement. Pain radiated from his stomach, as well as his hands and knees, and it felt like air refused to reenter his lungs.
Huey knelt on his hands and knees for a moment, his head swimming through fog from the blow. He was ripped back to reality when he heard Felicia's frightened scream. Forcing his body to rise from the pavement, Huey turned to see one of the men holding Felicia by the shoulders as another man smacked her across the face.
"Felicia!" Huey howled. The sight of someone striking the most important thing in his life sent a fresh wave of rage coursing through his body, and Huey lunged forward and grabbed the man who had just struck Felicia by the neck. Huey was only able to get one good hit in before the man with the baseball bat cracked him on his right side, right across his ribs. A fresh batch of pain rocketed through Huey, sending him tumbling backwards to the ground. This time he wasn't able to catch himself, and the rough cement did not give when the back of his head smacked against it.
Stars flashed before Huey's eyes as he struggled to blink them away. Gasping with pain, he managed to clear his vision enough to see three of the men standing over him, while one held onto Felicia. She was screaming as loudly as she could and struggling against the man's grasp, but couldn't break free. Huey was almost relieved to know that the heinous group's attention was focused on him and not Felicia, but he dreaded what they might do to her once they were done with him.
Huey could only give Felicia a look of desperation before the men began taking their turns at mercilessly beating him, all the while calling him horrible names and shouting their displeasure at everything he'd done. Huey started out feeling every fist, foot, and swing of the bat that hit him, but after a time the pain all started to blend together. He didn't know how long it had been but the only thing he could make out, besides the pain and metallic taste in his mouth, was Felicia's urgent cries for help. Huey briefly thought they must have been answered, because he heard familiar voices shouting, and soon no new pain wracked his body.
Huey lay on the ground in the alley, just trying to keep focused on the world swimming in a haze before his eyes, which kept threatening to fade away. His entire body screamed with agony to the point where he wasn't exactly sure if there were any parts of him that weren't in pain. He could hear voices around him and see figures among the swirling darkness, but couldn't focus on them enough to make anything out. He felt hands on him again and immediately cringed, bracing himself for more torture. But this time the hands were gentle and caring, scooping him up into a pair of strong arms. The movement sent new pain throbbing through his body and he tried to protest, only managing a pathetic whimper.
After a short time the moving stopped, and he felt himself being softly laid back down. His skin that was exposed through his ripped clothing was again met with a hard surface, but this time cool and smooth instead of rough. Huey felt a hand gently being placed on his cheek, and knew someone was talking to him. He knew who that voice belonged to, and desperately tried to focus on it. Pushing through the curtain of fog that still hung heavily around him, Huey forced his eyes open. After his eyes adjusted to the light, Huey could make out the faces of Felicia, Delray, Gator, and Bobby around him.
"Oh, thank Jesus! He's awake!" Felicia sobbed, her tears staining her purple cheek that looked angry and swollen. "Huey, I'm right here. It's going to be okay, we're going to get you help."
"Someone call an ambulance!" Delray shouted at the group of customers of his club who were staring worriedly at the scene before them. "Felicia, I told you something like this was going to happen!"
Gator placed a firm hand on Delray's shoulder, silently shaking his head. Delray understood what Gator was trying to say and stayed silent, throwing concerned glances at his sister. Huey felt like there was something he needed to do, but the excruciating pain had formed a wall around his mind, preventing his thoughts from forming. However, another glance at Felicia's tear streaked face reminded Huey of his original plans for this evening. A horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach made him feel like this might scare her away forever, that she'd leave him after tonight. He couldn't stand that thought, and immediately began to try and reach into his pocket. After some fumbling and a significant amount of rearoused pain, Huey wrapped his fingers around the velvet box that still lay hidden in the pocket of his jacket. Because of the uproar of confusion and concern, no one had noticed his movements.
"Fe… Felicia," Huey mumbled through a swollen and painful jaw. He wasn't very loud, but the by the surprised look on everyone's faces, he had their attention. Withdrawing his hand from his pocket, Huey weakly held the small velvet box out to his love, who was kneeling beside him. She didn't make a move to take the box from him, so he swallowed hard, tasting a fresh flow of thick metallic liquid in his mouth. He pushed the box towards her a little more, resting his hand on her lap. "Please?" he asked weakly, barely more than a whisper.
The room was totally silent now, every pair of eyes glued on Felicia and Huey. She tentatively reached out a quaking hand and gently took the box from Huey's hand. Looking down at the box, she slowly opened it, tears quickly filling her already cried out eyes.
"Ma… Marry me?" Huey whispered, weakly grasping her wrist, trying to communicate everything he wanted to stay through his eyes.
"Oh Huey," Felicia wept, bringing her hand up to her mouth, "It's beautiful." She just sat staring at the ring, tears leaving fresh tracks down her cheeks. Soon it was replaced by a concerned look, and she looked up from the ring to meet Huey's gaze. "But…" she started, sounding unsure, "promise me we can leave, Huey. It's not safe here." She begged, knowing that Memphis was an important part of him.
Huey's gaze shifted down, away from Felicia's fiery stare. He hadn't counted on being asked to leave all he knew behind him. Memphis had always been his home, and he thought it always would be. But the Memphis he had talked about earlier wouldn't have done this. His Memphis wasn't a ruthless place that threatened him or the woman he loved. He looked back up at Felicia, and gave her the best reassuring smile he could, not exactly sure what it looked like thanks to his swollen jaw. Despite that she understood him, and her face lit up in pure joy. She took the engagement ring from its small box and slipped it onto her finger.
There was applause from the people standing around him and words of congratulations, but Huey didn't hear any of them. He was totally absorbed in Felicia, a few tears rolling down his face. The moment he had been waiting for was cut short by the door to the club whipping open, followed by the sounds of footsteps on the stairs. The ambulance had arrived, and the paramedics immediately loaded Huey onto a gurney and began moving him up the stairs. He helplessly grasped onto Felicia's hand, knowing she wouldn't be allowed to ride in the whites-only ambulance with him. She squeezed his hand comfortingly, leaning down and kissing him gently, a sad smile spreading across her face. "I'll be at the hospital for you, Sugar. I love you." She whispered in his ear before they took him up the stairs and out to the street.
The night certainly hadn't gone how he had planned, but despite the circumstances, Huey Calhoun had never been happier in his entire life.
Thank you so much for reading! It feels good to be back. I couldn't get this idea out of my head, so I sat up until 4:30 typing this out. (With finals tomorrow... oops) If you enjoyed this little one-shot, please review! Even if you didn't like reading it as much as I liked writing it, review! Did I mention review? They'll make me feel better tomorrow when I bomb my chemistry final. ;] Again, thanks a ton, and push that button!