Weekend Excursion

By angellwings


Part One: The Getaway


Ella glanced around the room and reluctantly spotted the clock. Two minutes left of the workday. It felt like the last half hour had taken forever to pass. She loved her job, but today she was ready for the workday to be over. She had plans. Why was it the days you had plans were always the ones that went on forever? Her phone buzzed from the table next to her and she bit her bottom lip as she tried to discretely check it.

It was a text.

"You wanted me to pick up your bag, right? Where is it?"

She typed a quick response and then went to work finishing up her last hem of the day. The clock hit five and Ella immediately packed up her sewing kit and straightened up her work table before making a phone call.

"Did you find it?"

"In the hall closet like you said. Are you done for the day?"

"Yes, are you on your way?"

"No, I decided to leave without you."

"Nate, that is not funny. I will never speak to you again if that's true."

"Ella," Nate said with an audible grin. "I would never do that to you, and if I did I certainly wouldn't have answered your calls. Not unless I wanted to get yelled at."

"You promised to take me to Fashion Week, Nathaniel. Do not renege. I will take in your favorite pair of pants if you do," Ella threatened teasingly.

"That would be okay with me. It would just mean more girls would admire me as I walked past them."

"I am not even going to respond to that. It sounded far too much like a Shane statement to deserve one," Ella said as she grinned and rolled her eyes.

"Will you just get out here and get in the car?" Nate asked with a light laugh. "Our flight leaves in an hour."

"I'm not the one who scheduled the flight so close to the end of my workday, Gray," Ella said with a smirk before she hung up the phone and raced outside to meet the car Nate had hired to drive them to the airport.

As she approached the car Nate beat the driver out of the car and to Ella's door. The driver gave Nate an amused glance and held up his hands in surrender before he stepped into the driver's side.

"I can't believe this is my birthday present," Ella said excitedly as she hugged him tightly. "It's really not fair though. Every gift you give me is ten times better than whatever I give you. You make it impossible for me to return the favor, you know."

"You don't need to return the favor, Ella," Nate said, as if he'd said a million times before. "Dealing with my insane schedule and responsibilities and still sticking around to be my friend is enough."

"And then you go and say things like that and all I want to do is send you on a three week vacation to somewhere where no one knows you so you can get some rest," Ella said as she reluctantly released him. "Also, you look terrible."

Nate blinked at her. "Um, thank you?"

"I don't mean—No, you look handsome just like always. I mean, of course you do, I styled you and people I style never look bad. You just look…exhausted. That's what I meant," Ella clarified.

"Well, it's been a few years since we've done a summer tour," Nate said with a sigh as he motioned for Ella to step inside the car. "Even a month break in the middle isn't helping me catch up on rest."

"Well, then we don't need to be taking this trip," Ella said as she stopped behind the car door and gave Nate a concerned look. "Changing time zones certainly won't help. Nate, really we don't have to—"

"Yes, we do," Nate said with a small smile. "It's your birthday, you work in fashion, and yet you've never been to fashion week. We do have to go. Someone should have taken you by now and I won't let you guilt me into canceling, Isabella."

"Nate, you need to rest," Ella said in a parental tone. "The second half of the tour is the most exhausting half. You'll be all over the world for those shows."

"Yes, and I will rest. When we get back," Nate said with a smile as he placed a hand on the small of her back and gently pushed her forward. "Now, hurry up and get in so we don't miss our flight."

"For the record, I'm appreciative of the gift but I don't like keeping you from taking it easy, clear?" Ella said as she turned to face him with a stern expression.

Nate grinned at her in amusement and couldn't help but feel very touched by her concern. "Clear. Now, get in before we start to draw a crowd, please?"

Finally, Ella stepped inside and slid over to give Nate room to get in as well. He closed the door and the car took off toward LAX.

"Gosh, I haven't been to New York in forever. The last time I went I was twelve and on tour with dad so really all I saw of it was Madison Square Garden. Although, we did manage to squeeze in Radio City and I got to sit in on the Saturday Night Live taping for that week since daddy was hosting. But other than that it was airport, hotel, venue, hotel, and airport. Not much sightseeing," Ella said as she wistfully gazed out the window.

"Did you…like touring with your dad?" Nate asked curiously. As long as they'd known each other they'd never actually talked about it. When Ella had toured with them as an intern she'd surprised them by seeming like an old pro at touring. That's when they'd found out her dad had raised her on his own and that she'd never really stepped foot in a normal school. She'd always had tutors on the road with her. But that was all he'd managed to learn about Ella's life with her massive rock star father.

"Most of the time," Ella said honestly. "When I got a little older it sometimes got lonely, but as a kid it just felt like this amazing adventure I got to share with my dad. Not many girls can say their dad is their best friend, but I can. It's a little weird and yet I wouldn't trade it for anything. Being normal isn't always better. So, I didn't go to prom or sleepovers or any of the other stuff girls my age did. I got to do lots of other things, like watch my dad be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and meet The President of the United States." She smiled brightly at him and shrugged casually. "How many people can tell those stories?"

He didn't know why this subject fascinated him but the older he got the more he thought about the future. If he got married, how would that work? He traveled a lot. Did he just leave his wife at home? What if she was a homebody and didn't want to travel with him at all? What would he do then? And what about his kids? Surely you can't take kids out on the road, can you?

Apparently you can if how excellently Ella turned out counts as a precedent for kids raised on a tour bus.

"Would you do what he did?" Nate asked. "Raise your kids on tour?"

Ella bit her bottom lip and looked at him as she thought about her answer. She took a deep breath and then finally spoke. "I think I would. But not all of the time. I did miss having a bedroom to decorate. I mean I had a bedroom but I wasn't in it enough to really make it mine. And I did miss meeting other kids my age, that's why dad sent me to Camp Rock. So, I think part of the time it would be okay. Especially when they're smaller and they don't have to be in school, but I do think a kid needs a house of some kind. So, I would like my kids to live in one for at least a portion of the year." She paused and her eyes widened in panic. "I mean, you know, if I marry a rock star. I might not. Maybe I'll marry someone boring like a dentist. It's hard to say since there's no boyfriend at the moment. What about you? Would you raise kids on tour? I mean, you're the one who's always traveling. Not me."

Nate smirked at the blush rising on Ella's cheeks and knew, immediately, what had caused it. She'd been thinking their kids. Not that there was anything wrong with that in his opinion. He'd thought about it too, but they weren't dating and Ella probably didn't want to scare him. There was no way she was going to marry a dentist, though. He knew that for sure.

"I think that…what you said makes sense. There's nothing wrong with having kids on tour for a portion of the year, but they would also need a steady home. A house that doesn't sit on tires and have a steering wheel," Nate said as he caught Ella's gaze. "And a house that they can decorate and make their own. So, I would agree with you. I wouldn't want them to spend the entire year on the road with me. Hell, I wouldn't want to spend the entire year on the road."

Ella blushed again and cleared her throat. "I guess we have that in common then."

"Yeah," Nate said with a confident nod. "We do."

The rest of the ride was awkward and silent with neither knowing quite what to say. Once they reached the airport it was clear word had gotten out about Nate and Ella's weekend getaway because there were fans and photographers everywhere. They were then both too focused on getting through the crowd intact. Ella loved Connect Three's fans but being in a large crowd of them made her nervous, especially since they were so protective of the guys. But they surprised her by asking for her autograph along with Nate's.

"I knew you two were dating! You're so cute!"

"I bet my friend $20 you two would be together before the end of the year. Easiest $20 I've ever made."

Ella didn't correct them. She just smiled weakly and signed the paper that was held out to her before walking away to check in for her flight and check her bags. Only to realize that Nate still had her duffel slung across his shoulder. Her very pink, very bright duffel. While he signed autographs he kept one hand on the pull out handle of his own small rolling suitcase and smiled pleasantly at his fans. She bit her bottom lip as she watched him and waited patiently by the door for him.

What was it about watching him carrying her very girly duffle that she found so attractive?

He waved one last time and then turned to walk toward her. He motioned for her to go first and then followed her through the automatic door to the ticket counter. They made it through security with a few minutes to spare before boarding. Nate smiled softly at her and cleared his throat.

"Sorry about the craziness out there. I have no idea how the fans get their information but it's always surprisingly accurate," Nate said apologetically.

"It's alright," Ella said with a chuckle. "Dad had a version of this growing up. Granted without Twitter and Facebook his crowds weren't as large, but they did exist. I vaguely remember my dad covering my eyes with his hand more than once when we were confronted with a large group of female fans. Lots of things he said I was 'too young to see until I had my own'. At the time I had no clue what he was talking about, but now I know, of course. At least your fans aren't as insane as Headline's. Unless, you've neglected to tell me a flashing story and if you have…shame on you because those are my favorites. Women are insane when they flash people, and I say that as a member of the female species."

Nate laughed and looked genuinely surprised. "Got it, in the future I'll share any female fan flashing stories with you first thing."

Their flight began to board and Ella was shocked when she and Nate were the very first people on the plane. Ella had never flown first class. She'd always imagined first class was a magical extravagant area like her fantasy about the limo with the Jacuzzi in the back. The day she had one of those would be the day all of her childhood dreams came true.

But, in actuality, First Class wasn't that much more impressive. There were bigger seats, more floor space, free champagne in real crystal glasses, and hot towels. The tray of hot towels that was held out to her made her laugh. Her father always flew first class and imagining her father picking up one of the dainty towels and somehow using it was completely humorous to her. She smiled politely and took a towel off the tray before turning to face Nate and holding it out to him.

"What am I supposed to do with this?"

Nate grinned at her. "It's to freshen up. Wash off your hands or your face. Whatever you need to do."

Ella giggled and shook her head. "Wow, you rock stars are so spoiled."

Nate smirked and quirked a brow at her. "Says the daughter of the front man for the most famous rock band in the world."

"I never got to enjoy my father's job perks, thank you. Sure, I had a whole rainbow of nail polish shades and wore designer labels most girls would kill for, but that was the extent of my being 'spoiled'. I mean I had to pay for half of my first car, and that thing was a total junker. All my friends had BMWs and Audis, but not me. I had a crappy 1995 model Chrysler Neon. No, not the Dodge Neon that was too new. The original Chrysler Neon. A car almost as old as me. So, I'm only slightly spoiled. Trust me on that," Ella said with a small smile.

"Wait, before it was the Dodge Neon it was the Chrysler Neon?" Nate asked.

Ella nodded. "Yep, it had a cassette player, Nate. Cassette. My dad, of course, was more than willing to supply a full collection of Headline cassette tapes that he highly encouraged I play when I was on dates. It was his way of reminding my dates how scary and intimidating my dad was through the sound of his voice. He thought the sound would bring up the image. And, unfortunately, he was right. All of those poor boys who tried to date me rarely made it past the first date."

"Why didn't you just take out the tape?" Nate asked in amusement.

"After the tactic didn't work the first time, he jammed a tape in the player. It would play, but it wouldn't eject. I don't know how he did it, but I suspect his pocket knife was involved."

"Your dad is actually kind of brilliant," Nate said with a chuckle. "You know that, right?"

"Oh, yes, I know," Ella said with a smile. "It's amazing that I turned out as harmless as I am with a ruthless father like him. He rarely plays fair, especially at board games. One time when I was little he made me trade him four deeds and a railroad for the Boardwalk in Monopoly. He knew my OCD tendencies wouldn't allow me to not have the matching set if the opportunity presented itself. He totally took advantage of my five year old eagerness to have matching colors."

"I really cannot imagine Van Pador playing Monopoly."

"It was our favorite game," Ella admitted. "He's the all time champ."

"I'll have to play him some time," Nate said with a smirk. "I'm the reigning champion in my family. It pays to be a planner with a mind made for both creativity and numbers."

Ella giggled and nodded. "I bet so. Must be nice to be good at math."

"You're good at math," Nate assured her.

Ella quirked a brow at him and shook her head. "No, I'm not."

"Ella, what's the difference between 5 and one-eighths of an inch and 2 and five-sixteenths of an inch?"

Ella answered quickly, without hesitation. "That would be 2 and three-quarters of an inch."

Nate gave her a pointed look and smirked. "See? Measurements and fractions are math, Ells. You're a genius at those."

"Then how come I never seem to be able to balance my checkbook, Nathaniel?" Ella asked as she tilted her head and sighed.

"Because you shop too much and forget to write transactions down, Pador," Nate said with a grin. "Everyone knows that."

She laughed and shoved his shoulder playfully. "Shut up! I do not shop that much."

He immediately pointed to her feet. "Then why have I never seen those shoes before? Or the purse you've been carrying all day?"

She blushed and bit her bottom lip. "They were on sale, okay? I spent less than sixty dollars on both things together. That's totally a bargain for Betsy Johnson and Kenneth Cole."

He said nothing but gave her a knowing look in response.

"What? It is! And while we're on the subject, that shirt you wore the other day…with the butterflies? How much did that set you back, Nater-tot?"

This time it was his turn to blush. "I'd rather not say."

"That's what I thought," Ella said with a triumphant smile. "By the way, why in the world would you buy a shirt with butterflies on it? I'm genuinely curious, and more than a bit appalled."

He winced and ran a hand through his curls. "It was that bad, huh? That's the last time I ever let Shane talk me into buying a shirt."

"Next time just take me along, I'll argue with Shane's crazy. I'm not afraid of him nor does he seem to convince me of things as easily as he convinces other people. I'm strangely immune to him," Ella said with a wink and smirk.

Nate chuckled and nodded. "Will do." He paused briefly before he spoke again, "So, did you bring a nice dress like I told you? Our first event is for Calvin Klein and if you don't show up to that showcase looking sharp then you're crucified by the press. It happened to Shane last year."

"Yet, another reason not to take his fashion advice. And yes, I packed one. I'll have to have it steamed when we get to the hotel I guess. It's bound to be wrinkled. I should've just brought my steamer. It would've been faster," Ella said with a sigh. "What are you going to wear, Maestro?"

"Um, well, Calvin Klein is sending something over for me to wear."

"Okay, really?" Ella asked with a playful grin. "You are never allowed to tease me about being spoiled ever again."

Nate blushed, cleared his throat, and nodded. "Right, I suppose that's fair."

The rest of the flight went much the same way with Nate asking Ella questions about her childhood and her recounting stories full of warmth and love. Ella knew a lot about Nate's childhood but, honestly, Nate knew very little about Ella's childhood. Since she was in a talkative mood, he'd figured this would be the best time to learn what he could. The plane landed and as soon as they left the gate there was a driver waiting on them and their luggage. Nate held the door open for her and motioned for her to hop in first.

"Ladies first," He said politely. She slid in and he slid in after her and a few minutes later they were at the hotel. He'd had a sinking feeling from the moment they'd walked into the lobby. The employees at the front desk looked frazzled and the manager was on the phone and anxiously pacing back and forth. This could not be good.

"Hi, I'm Nate Gray. I have two rooms reserved," Nate said when one of the frazzled girls looked up at him.

"I, um, yes. Of course, Mr. Gray. Just give me one moment," She said as she glared at the computer and tucked away her keyboard angrily before pulling out a very thick binder. She frantically flipped through the pages until she reached the G pages. "I—oh my—I'm sorry, Mr. Gray. We only have one room on record for your reservation."

Nate gulped and he could feel the heat rushing to his face. "One room? Just one? Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir. It would appear we only have one room prepared for you per your initial reservation," She said sheepishly. "I do apologize. We've been having issues with our computer system. Something must have happened when we processed your reservation. I would offer to comp you a second room but we're completely full this weekend since it's fash—"

"Fashion week," Nate said with a sigh. "I know."

"Will the one room be suitable, sir, or would you like to—"

"The one room will be fine," Ella said from behind him. "We're adults, Nate." Ella said as she patted his arm. "I think we can manage to share."

Nate gulped. That's what I'm worried about. "Right, we'll share. Does the room happen to have two queen sized beds or—"

"Oh, no. It's the king size bed that you requested."

"Of course it is," Nate said with a forced polite smile. "You would get that part right."

The girl quickly checked them in and handed Nate two room keys.

"Enjoy your stay, sir."

"Oh, I'm sure I will," He said dryly.

Ella smacked his arm. "Be nice."

"That was nice," Nate told her. "Are you sure you're okay with sharing a room?"

"Well, it's not like we have much of a choice. It's share the room or sleep on the street, Nate," Ella said with a chuckle. "We'll make it work."

They reached the elevator and Ella looked as if another thought occurred to her.

"Is sharing a room with me really that repulsive of an idea?" Ella asked.

Nate's eyes widened and he looked panicked. "No! Not at all. I just…I thought you might feel awkward about sharing a room. I know how girls can be about privacy. At least, I know how you girls were about it at camp."

Ella grinned at him. "A lot's changed since Camp, Nate."

He smiled warmly at her. "I hope not too much."