2001

"You won't believe who I have on the line for you," Kenny said, popping his head into Joan's office at their record label headquarters in New York City.

"Who?" Joan asked, intrigued.

Kenny smirked. "I'm gonna let you just pick it up," he said in his New York drawl.

Joan nodded, glancing at her phone and clicked the button that was flashing red to indicate a held call.

"Joan Jett," she said, using her usual phone voice.

"Hi Joanie," she heard a strangely familiar voice say on the other line, detecting a smile.

Joan froze her a moment and her heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be…could it?

"Ch-Cherie?" Joan stuttered, clearing her throat. She hadn't spoken to Cherie in over two decades.

Cherie laughed slightly. "Yeah. Hi. How, uh, how are you?"

Joan felt a sting in the back of her throat as a million memories flooding into her mind. "I'm good. I mean, yeah, I'm really good. Shit! How ya doin, Cherie?"

"I'm doing really well, actually." There was a moment of silence between them as they both thought about all the things that fell between the last time they had spoken and this very moment.

"What, uh, what can I do for you? Or are you just calling to say hello after all these years…" Joan asked, smiling.

"Actually, I kind of am just calling you to say hello. But, I'm also calling to ask you a favour," Cherie replied slowly.

"What's that?"

"Well, I'm going to be in New York pretty soon and I heard through the grape vine that you'll be playing a show while I'm there and I just…I thought I would call and ask…"

"If you can come?" Joan interrupted.

"Well, more than that. If I can…well, Joanie, I want to be on stage with you again. Just once more, for old time's sake."

Joan paused for a moment, holding her breath. "Y-you want to come back on stage with me?"

"Just for Cherry Bomb. I know it's wild that I'm calling you out of the blue after all this time but…god damn it, Joanie. I miss it. I do."

Joan smiled, the thought of seeing Cherie again making her almost giddy. "Well, fuck, Cherie. Of course you can!"

Cherie squealed on the other end. "Oh, really Joan? It would mean so much to me! To get on stage with you again…" she trailed off.

"Cherie, I would love to have you up there with me again. I am just blown out of the water that I am actually talking to you right now. I mean…it's been…"

"Over 20 years," Cherie added.

"How are you?" Joan asked again, this time more seriously.

"I'm good. I'm the best I've probably been my whole life. It was a little touch and go for a while…a long while, really. But, I cleaned up, started over, and things are really…working, you know?"

"Good, good," Joan said.

Cherie smiled. "It's so good to hear your voice," she said softly.

"Yours too, Cherie. You have no idea. When Kenny told me I would never believe who was on the other line, he wasn't kidding," she chuckled slightly. "But I am really glad you called. Really glad. When d'you fly into New York?"

"Friday," Cherie answered.

"Can I see you?"

"I was hoping you'd ask me that. Yes, absolutely."

"I'll meet you at your hotel. I'll be in the city all day so I can just come by whenever…"

"That would be lovely," Cherie replied.

"Okay. So, I will see you Friday."

"Yes," Cherie said. "I will see you Friday."

Joan was nervous as hell as she walked through the lobby of the hotel, standing at the elevators waiting. She shuffled on her feet, pressing her hands together. She got in an elevator and she felt her stomach drop as it rose up. The doors slid open and she stepped out onto the carpet, manoeuvring her way down the long hallway. She stood outside the room, staring at the golden numbers on the door. She raised her hand and knocked, clearing her throat as she waited. The door swung open, and there, standing in front of her, larger than life itself, was Cherie Currie.

They both felt a sting in the back of their throats as nostalgia got the best of them. Cherie threw herself into Joan's arms instantly and Joan took a deep breath, smelling Cherie's perfume. Everything was different, and yet felt exactly the same. They held each other there in the doorway for a minute, overcome by the feeling of being this close to each other again.

"Holy shit, I've missed you," Cherie said softly.

Joan smiled. She pulled back to look at Cherie. She looked different, but that sparkle in her blue eyes, the one she'd had the first night they'd ever met, was back. It was something Joan hadn't seen for a long, long time, even when they were still together in the Runaways. The drugs had taken all the life out of Cherie's eyes back then, but now she was back. And still a Cherry Bomb.

"You look…" Joan said, her eyes floating down Cherie's body. "Amazing."

Cherie grinned. "So do you. I mean, I've seen you in pictures and on TV a million times but nothing compares to you right now." She ran her hands over Joan's bristly head. She had her hair really short now. "Wow," she said.

Joan grinned. "Yeah, a little different than what you're used to, I guess."

"I love it," Cherie said, running her hands over Joan's head again.

The feeling gave Joan goosebumps. She looked at Cherie and smiled, making Cherie's stomach flutter.

"There it is," she said. "That smile I remember so well."

They locked eyes for a moment and it was like everything was being said in complete silence.

"So, tell me everything," Cherie said breaking the silence, ushering Joan inside.

"About what?" Joan asked, sitting down next to her.

"Everything that's happened over the past 20 years. I mean, look at you! You got everything you ever wanted, Joanie. You're a rock star!"

Joan laughed. "It wasn't easy. Believe me, it wasn't any fucking easier after the Runaways. But, I had to do this. You know I had to do this, Cherie."

Cherie nodded. "I know. I remember when I first heard you on the radio…god, I don't even remember what song, but I just remember feeling so happy for you. I was so happy that you had made it, you know? That you had done it. I was proud. I still am."

Joan smiled bashfully. "I wish I had…we had…known each other for all these years."

"I know. Me too, Joanie. But, shit. It doesn't feel so different, does it?"

Joan shook her head. "No, it feels kind of normal."

"It always did," Cherie said.

They looked at each other for a moment, a very intense feeling coming over them. Cherie wanted to tell Joan everything, but there was just so much to say. She wanted to apologize for things that happened so long ago but they still felt like they had happened just yesterday. She wanted to tell her about everything that had gone through her head, about her addiction, about hitting rock bottom and bouncing back up. She wanted to tell her all the fucked up things that happened to her, but she just didn't know how. It had taken her years to come to terms with it, hell she was still coming to terms with it, but somehow she felt like she owned Joan and explanation.

"What?" Joan said, smirking.

Cherie frowned. "I didn't say anything."

"You don't have to. I know you're thinking about something."

Cherie laughed slightly. "Oh," she said. "I guess you can still read me like a book, huh?"

Joan nodded. "Tell me," she said softly.

Cherie took a deep breath. "There is so much to say, Joan. I mean, how do I even begin? I feel like I owe you an apology or some kind of explanation…"

Joan shook her head. "You don't. You don't have to explain anything. It was 20 years ago!"

Cherie nodded, looking down at her hands. "But I hurt you, Joan. I know that."

Joan swallowed hard. The conversation just got very serious. "Cherie," she said. "C'mon. We were kids. We were…stupid, and reckless and young. There is so much we could talk about but that's what it all comes down to."

Cherie bit her lip. "Joan, I…I was so messed up then. I mean, the drugs were just the beginning. I…God, so much shit happened. With Kim, and my family, and Scott Anderson…" she trailed off.

"Scott Anderson!" Joan laughed. "Shit, that's a name I haven't heard in years!"

Cherie smiled weakly. "Yes, and it's a name I wish I never had to think about ever again. But I do. Sometimes, because…well, something happened back then and it…it made things change, I guess."

Joan frowned. "What do you mean?"

"He and I…well, we were sleeping together. You know that. And I was so fucking young and so fucking stupid. I thought I loved him…but, he was awful. You know he was awful. And then I found out that I was…" she looked at Joan's concerned face and she paused, grimacing slightly.

"You were what?" Joan asked slowly, though she already knew.

"I was pregnant. I was 16, and I had no idea what the hell was going on. I was going to keep it. Shit. I can't believe I was gonna keep it. But, my father…and my family…" she cleared her throat. "Well, I didn't keep it. And I never told any of you and it's been eating me up all these years because I left for a little while, you remember? And that's why, and you guys recorded "Queens of Noise" without me and I was so angry. God, I don't know why I was so angry…because I was stupid, and confused and really fucked up. And I just remember I walked in and you had already laid down the track and we just looked at each other and I can't even imagine the look on my face but things were different between us after that. I always regretting not telling you what happened because I think it could have saved a lot of heartache between us." She took a deep breath, exhaling slowly, feeling like weight had been lifted off her shoulder.

"Cherie," Joan said, her raspy voice breaking. "Why didn't you tell me? I wouldn't have…I never knew all this…" she shook her head, a look of anguish on her face.

"Joan, I'm so sorry. I should have told you, I should have trusted you but we were so messed up back then. I had begun to confuse right from wrong and I was so fucking selfish too! So fucking self-indulgent and self-destructive and I just didn't see things the way they really were you know?"

Joan sighed. "Shit," she said. "I haven't smoked in years but all of a sudden I want a cigarette after this," she chucked, rubbing her hands together. "This is heavy shit, Cherie."

"I know," Cherie replied. "I know and I'm sorry it's just you're sitting here and all I want is us to be friends again. All I want is to know you again and I just feel like there are some things standing in our way."

Joan looked over at Cherie, studying her face, noticing all the things that were different and all the things that were still the same. God, she was beautiful. And she didn't care about any of the things that happened all the years ago, she didn't care that the band had broken up and that Cherie had betrayed her, and that they hadn't spoken in so long. All she cared about was the fact that Cherie was here now, and things were looking good.

"Cherie?" she said, leaning closer.

"Yes?" Cherie replied softly.

"I have the strangest urge to kiss you," Joan said.

Cherie's eyes widened slightly and she smirked. "Do you?"

Joan nodded. She leaned forward, asking for permission, before pressing her lips against Cherie's. It was like reliving a memory and they were both overcome by the familiarity of it. Joan gently placed her hands on Cherie's hips and Cherie draped her arms around Joan's shoulders. They kissed for a few moments and Joan pulled away smiling.

"Damn it," she said.

"What?" Cherie whispered.

"You're an even better kisser than before."

Cherie laughed. She looked at Joan, feeling the sparks between them again, after all these years. "I haven't done that in a long time," she said.

"What?" Joan asked, her hands still on Cherie's slender hips.

"Kissed a woman," Cherie replied, smiling.

Joan laughed. "Oh," she said.

"I forgot how different it feels," Cherie added.

They smiled at each other and Joan let her hands drop back down into her lap.

"So are we okay?" Cherie asked softly.

Joan just stared at her for a moment. "Yes. We're just fine," she said, and she smiled her special smile that Cherie was so happy to see again.