Part 1

How did we get here?

Author's note: I own nothing...enjoy!

Angela VO: How did we get here? Well, I know how we got here, like in our bedroom, but how did we get to this point in our lives? Why do we have such a hard time communicating?

"Jordan, that's not what I meant! All I said was I don't understand why you have to leave tonight. Why can't you meet the guys in the morning." Angela says, as she sits on the bed watching Jordan pack. "I just want us to spend the night together."

"Angela, don't be like this, babe. I spent last night with you. Besides, I've gotta go. We have to be in Dallas by Thursday morning. If we leave tonight, I won't have to rush around when we get there. We have so much to do before our show Thursday night." Jordan was busy shoving his clothes into his suitcase.

Angela gets up and walks over to the window. As she looks out, all she can see is Jordan's reflection in the glass as he walks toward the bathroom. Tears start to roll down her face, as she angrily wipes them away.

Angelo VO: He knows I love him and I miss him so much. He has to know. Doesn't he?

Realizing how upset she is, Jordan walks up behind her and wraps his arms around her. He brushes her hair away and kisses her on the neck. He starts rocking her from side to side. "C'mon, Red, don't do this. You know I'll be home next Sunday. I promise I'll be home with you guys for 2 weeks with no interruptions." Even though her hair hasn't been red for many years, he still calls her that.

"Do you have to drive? Why can't you stay home with me tonight and fly out in the morning? The guys will be fine on the bus without you. We've had so little time together these last few months." It's all she can do not to beg him to stay.

"Babe, if I stay home tonight, you'll only end up mad at me. I won't be any good to you here, because all I can think about is finalizing the last leg of our tour. Please understand!" He's been consumed with this tour forever and it's starting to take a toll.

"What I understand, Jordan, is that our whole life revolves around you, and the band, and the tour. I just thought for once, you could put me first. I don't ask for much, but I wanted this time with you. Just a few hours. I made plans. I even asked Mom to let Maddie stay over tonight."

"Angela, I'll make it up to you. I promise," he whispers in her ear, before squeezing her tight. "Just please stop crying. I can't stand to see you like this!"

Angela VO: Oh my god. If he only knew why I wanted him to stay tonight... Well, besides THAT, which we don't do near enough these days. I really need to tell him. Will it change everything? What am I thinking, of course it will change everything! Why can't I just tell him? How do I tell him? Should I just come out and say it? Why can't I ever find the right words? What's the worst that can happen?

Angela just stands there, quietly crying with Jordan's arms around her. He knows that she's upset, but he can't give in to her. He shouldn't have even came home for a few days, but he'd been gone for almost a month already and he needed to be with her, with their daughter. He really missed her, missed them. He'd only been home two days, but he knew he had to go.

After 12 years of marriage and 8 of those years touring with his band, Residue, this wasn't the first time they'd be apart. Residue's worldwide success had left precious little time for Jordan to spend with his family these days. Angela and Maddie were his life. He hated to be apart from them, but he only had 4 months left to tour and then he planned to take a break, a long break, and enjoy his success. Shane and Tommy had agreed.

It wasn't like they could just take Maddie out of school so that they could go with him like they had when she was little. She was in 5th grade now. It was very important to Jordan that Maddie go to school and do well. He wanted her to have a normal childhood, as normal as it could be with a dad who is the lead singer of a rock band.

After several minutes of them standing there with neither of them saying a word, Angela pulls away and turns to Jordan. "Well, if you have to leave tonight, I'll finish packing for you. Go find your daughter and tell her goodbye." She doesn't say anything else to him, she just walks into the bathroom and shuts the door.

Jordan just sighs and runs his hands through his now black, chin length hair. Not knowing what to do, he turns and walks out of the bedroom and goes in search of his daughter, even though he can hear Angela sobbing in the other room.