Karaoke
A/N: As I got thankfully provided with the correct lyrics of Jackson, I can now repost the first chapter to adopt the changes. No changes in the plot of the story.
Disclaimer: No, Mr. Wolf, I don't own them, you do. I just borrow them for a short while. And the songs belong to Johnny Cash/June Carter Cash and John Michael Montgomery.
A/N: Hey folks. Usually I don't ship, but this one wanted to get out. Maybe I can concentrate on my longer story again, when I "got rid" of this one… :-) big wide grin. Maybe it's this site or maybe "McLeod's daughters" rubbed off on me.
Whatever it is… please have fun… and (double) please share your thoughts with me by reviewing… constructive criticism is always appreciated!
1
Alex knew it would be a lonely Friday evening if nothing would happen soon. For once Bobby had other obligations, so that their usual end of week dinner was off his schedule, and she did not intend to go alone.
"Hey, Alex," Carolyn said when she passed her desk. "As Bobby's not available today, would you mind coming with us for a drink?"
"Where are you going?"
"We don't know yet. We could play pool somewhere."
"I'll let you know. Thanks for the invitation, Carolyn."
"You're welcome. Want some coffee?"
Alex nodded and when Carolyn came back in she put a mug down on her desk before she went to her own and Mike's.
Bobby was already gone and Alex was still thinking when her colleagues began to shuffle together their papers and put the last files away.
"Did you make up your mind?" Mike asked.
"Why not. Where are we going?"
"I have no idea. Mike did not want to tell where he's taking me tonight," Carolyn answered.
"But we'll sure have fun." Mike grinned. "I've been there with a date. It really was funny."
"Well, if you've taken one of your ladies there, it can't be something dirty," Alex supposed. "I guess we can go with you."
"And if he tries something it's the two of us against him," Carolyn added. "He really should think first."
"I'm optimistic that I can handle you," Mike claimed.
That caused Carolyn to break out with laughter. "Keep on dreaming," she teased.
Half an hour later the women found themselves sitting at a table in a karaoke bar.
"How could that happen to me?" Carolyn wondered. "I'm curious if Mike will try and sing."
"I hope he won't try to urge us to sing," Alex replied. "I can't keep my voice straight when I sing. The only place I do this anyway, is my shower."
Then Mike returned with their drinks and soon they enjoyed themselves by talking and listening to the attempts of other people to interpret one song or another.
"Hey, what are you doing here?" someone shouted and patted Mike's shoulder. "Nice to meet you."
When he turned around he spotted Elliot Stabler from SVU, his partner Olivia Benson right behind him.
"I guess, the same as you, hm?" he replied.
"May we join you?" Elliot asked.
Alex and Carolyn glanced at each other and grinned.
"Yeah, sure! Sit down you two."
Mike looked as if he wanted to object, but submitted to the women. So Olivia and Elliot took place at their table and joined the conversation. Suddenly Olivia pointed at the entrance.
"Isn't that Robert Goren?" she said. "He's the last one I'd have expected here."
Everyone looked and it was more than pure surprise that lit up on Alex' face. Yes, it was Bobby… and he was not alone. One arm slipped through his, Detective Stella Bonasera walked beside him. He guided her to a table at the wall and they sat down. A minute later the waitress returned with a bottle of wine. The two were talking, smiling, laughing, drinking…
A sharp pain pierced Alex' insides.
What? Why? I don't have any reason to feel jealous, she thought. It's not as if I'm his girlfriend. I'm just his partner… and his best friend.
And Stella can be a match for him: she's of Italian origin, she's good looking, she's smart… very smart, well, a scientist. They fit together.
Mike looked at her and knew at once what she might think, at least the direction her train of thoughts was running. He turned to the couple at the wall and frowned. It's time, pal, he thought himself.
Also Olivia and Elliot sensed that something was wrong. It was Elliot who reacted first.
"What do you think, Liv?" he said, getting up. "Should we try ourselves?"
"Try what?" she asked, frowning suspiciously.
"Well, that's a karaoke bar, you know…" Invitingly he held his hand out to her. "I guess they'll have duets, too."
Olivia wildly shook her head.
"No, El! No. I won't do that," she declared with defensively raised hands.
"Why not? It will be fun!"
"Not for me… and not for the poor folks listening to me."
"You can't be worse than the guy who tried to sing Are you lonesome tonight just a few minutes ago," Carolyn tried to encourage her. "At least you'll have a partner."
"I won't go up there and sing. I'm not suicidal."
"I'll go with you," Alex threw in.
Everyone stared at her, thunderstruck.
"What's the matter?!" she asked. "Carolyn's right. It can't get worse."
She downed her drink for courage, got up and reached for Elliot's hand.
"C'mon," she said, pulling him with her.
He had no other chance than to follow her. One glance over his shoulder ensured the others of his amazement.
It must have hit her very hard, Mike thought. Must be some kind of revenge. Oh, Bobby.
xxx
Bobby could hardly follow the conversation. He was barely aware that Stella tried to encourage him. Every so often he glanced over to the table with their colleagues to check on Alex.
"Bobby? Bobby!"
"What?"
"You should do it now, before you faint and drop from your chair." Stella chuckled. "Do you need another shot of courage?" Smirking she raised the bottle.
He just frowned at her.
Cute, she thought. I wish I'd find someone like him.
Then his frown changed to an incredulous stare that went right through her. In slow motion he turned his head to look over his shoulder at the small stage where the karaoke singers used to stand.
Stella also looked up and knew at once what caught his attention.
We got married in a fever
sounded out of the boxes. The male voice strong and clear, the female at least loud but shaky and not quite matching the melody.
Hotter than a pepper sprout
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson
Ever since the fire went out
I'm goin' to Jackson
Elliot took over the part of Johnny Cash. He was trying to imitate the characteristic deep voice but failed. He grinned at that and reacted. An octave higher suited his voice better and it rang clear again.
I'm gonna mess around
Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson
Look out Jackson town
He's astonishingly good, Bobby thought. But Elliot was not his person of interest. It was now that Alex started June Carter's part.
Well, go on down to Jackson
Go ahead and wreck your health
Go play your hand you big-talkin' man
Alex was now synchronous to the melody but still nervous, as Bobby could tell.
Make a big fool of yourself
Yeah, go to Jackson
Go comb your hair!
Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson Elliot threw in.
See if I care Alex rasped as loud as possible to imitate June's Bluegrass voice, before Elliot continued.
When I breeze into that city
People gonna stoop and bow - Hah! Alex laughed at him.
All them women gonna make me
Teach 'em what they don't know how
I'm goin' to Jackson
You turn loose of my coat
'Cause I'm goin' to Jackson
Goodbye, that's all she wrote. With this line Alex took over the next part.
Bobby listened to them and stared, dumbfounded, openmouthed, at the couple on the stage. He knew Elliot fleetingly, just as colleague he had to deal with every now and then, but had seen him joke around with others before, too. Now he witnessed, how silly and hilarious he really could be. It was infectious and Alex did not resist. She became more relaxed and her voice stronger. Actually she wasn't the best singer, but she beat the Elvis-imitator by lengths.
But they'll laugh at you in Jackson
And I'll be dancin' on a Pony Keg
They'll lead you 'round town like a scalded hound
With your tail tucked between your legs
Yeah, go to Jackson
You big-talkin' man
And I'll be waitin' in Jackson
Behind my Jaypan Fan
A sharp pain pierced Bobby's insides. It doubled when they started to sing together again, acting corresponding to the song by throwing mock loving glances at each other, holding hands, cuddling against the other:
Well now, we got married in a fever
Hotter than a pepper sprout
We've been talkin' 'bout Jackson
Ever since the fire went out
I'm goin' to Jackson
And that's a fact
Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson
Ain't never comin' back
Well, we got married in a fever
Hotter than a pepper sprout'
Honey, we've been talkin' 'bout Jackson
Ever since the fire went out
Bobby looked as if he would pass out every second. Pain showed in his brown depths. He turned to Stella again.
"I can't do this," he murmured, downing his wine in one large gulp. "I just can't."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," Stella scolded. "You came so far as to meet her here, so you won't back down now, will you."
She refilled his glass and he drank without second thought.
Maybe it'll help. He's totally cramped now.
"So, c'mon, honey!" She got up and grabbed his arm to pull him to his feet.
xxx
When they returned to their table, Carolyn, Olivia and Mike cheered.
"That was incredible!" Olivia shouted. "I can't believe, you've done this!"
"You have a great singing voice, Elliot!" Carolyn praised. "Want to do this on our Christmas party?"
"Well done, Stabler," Mike grunted amused and patted his shoulder, when he sat down next to him.
"You're right!" Elliot exclaimed. "That was great. I was stunned when you said you'd sing with me, but that really was great, Alex." He gestured a waitress. "I owe you a drink for your partnership on the stage. And you all owe us drinks for our performance."
"Thanks for the compliments, but actually I totally screwed up," Alex waved aside. "I should buy you drinks for not running for your lives when I was singing."
"That's understatement," Elliot cheered. "Alex outperformed June Carter and now she's refusing the applause."
"The only one who earned any was you," Alex returned. "You have saved the act."
It was right then that Olivia stopped the banter by nudging their upper arms.
"Look, there!" she breathed and nodded at the stage.
Olivia had blanched and as the others turned to look, they followed her example. Except of Mike who had a knowing smile twitch the corners of his mouth.
Because right at this moment, Stella Bonasera shoved Bobby up on the stage and pressed the mike in his hand.
xxx
His heart dropped into his size 13 shoes when Stella shoved him up the steps.
Damn! What stupid idea has that been! Let me run…!
Yet, he could not move, was frozen in place behind the rack. Stella got the mike and pressed it firmly in his hand.
"Go on," she whispered in his ear. "You can do it. I know you can!"
His eyes darted through the bar, but did not actually see. Then his view fell on his colleagues. He took in their incredulous stares and was ready to run.
The music started, still, no sound left his mouth.
Desperately he looked at Stella who waited on the steps.
Her broad smile reached her eyes. She nodded encouragingly and gestured him to go ahead. When that did not help she rolled her eyes and tilted her head towards Alex. Nothing happened.
"Per l'amor di Dio," she breathed and looked at the technician, silently asking to stop the music. Then she climbed the stage again and took his hand with the mike in hers. She did not dare to take it from him as she feared that he would not take it back.
"Sorry folks," she said. "My friend is a bit nervous."
Understatement of the evening, Bobby thought. No, of the month, the year… the decade!
It was almost the same which went through his colleague's minds, too. Alex could not do anything than to stare at Bobby, agape, and wait for whatever might come next.
What kind of relationship must they have, so that he's trying to sing for her, she wondered. In public!
"Somehow I wish I could say something else, but I'm just the moral support," Stella continued.
This made Alex sit up.
"My dear friend, Bobby, would like to surprise someone who's really important to him. Perhaps you could help him by giving some applause."
Most people hesitantly clapped their hands.
Stella pushed up his hand with the mike again and nodded at the technician. When the music started again, she stepped back.
Now there was no backing down anymore. He just had one chance not to end up in the worst humiliation of his entire life.
Right at that instant Bobby's look locked with Alex'. The next seconds seemed to stretch to eternity. It was all Alex could do not to cringe under his intense stare. But as she returned it she could watch how his panic subsided and changed to trust… and love.
Chills ran down her spine.
The same happened to Bobby when he fixed her sparkling eyes. All his surroundings were forgotten. Alex was all he could see, and all that mattered.
And he started to sing:
I see the questions in your eyes
I know what's weighing on your mind
But you can be sure I know my part
Even with the first lines it became obvious that he was one hell of a singer. His deep voice suited the song, or the other way round. And the more he sung, the more passion swung in it.
I'll stand beside you through the years
You'll only cry those happy tears
And though I'll make mistakes I'll never break your heart
The moment he sung about tears they shot into Alex' eyes. She gasped for breath as her throat corded up when she listened to the chorus:
I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky
I'll be there
I swear, like the shadow that's by your side
I'll be there
For better or worse, 'til death do us part
I'll love you with every beat of my heart
I swear
Alex clapped her hands over her mouth not to cry out. This was totally unexpected and also so much unlike Bobby that this alone would have sent her into fits. But the lyrics, sung by the man she loved, touched her deep down in her soul and let her shiver.
I'll give you everything I can
I'll build your dreams with these two hands
And we'll hang some memories on the wall
Mike and Carolyn looked at each other and at Bobby and Alex in turns. Did you know, Carolyn's eyes asked. Mike just smiled at her. This smile was so familiar to her that she could read it as if he'd spoken aloud. Yes, he had known.
And when there's silver in your hair
You won't have to ask if I still care
Cause as time turns the page my love won't age at all
With the second chorus Bobby took advantage of the fact that the mike was wireless and left the stage to approach Alex slowly. Not for an instant he broke the eye-contact with her.
I swear, by the moon and the stars in the sky
I'll be there
I swear, like the shadow that's by your side
I'll be there
For better or worse, 'til death do us part
I'll love you with every beat of my heart
I swear
Alex's heart beat wildly. It felt as if it was just about to break out of her chest. In the meanwhile she had grabbed the tablecloth with both hands. She squeezed it hard for to find support.
Bobby approached his partner who stared at him, touched to tears, which were streaming down her cheeks. She clapped her hand over her mouth again when she realized that he was just about to drop on his knees in front of her.
From where he knelt, Bobby looked up at her with his deep brown eyes and felt a tight knot in his gut. Whatever it was what he had wanted to say, he could not remember what it had been. Her beauty robbed him of his breath. It was not that he started to stutter... he could not get a single word out.
What if she'll just laugh?
He could already hear laughter, but it was not hers. When he looked at Mike and Carolyn they where holding their tummies with laughter, the same applied to Olivia and Elliot.
As he looked around, cops streamed out of every entrance he could see and crowded the bar. They circled the couple, cheering, pointing… laughing their heads off.
But the worst was that Alex also started to laugh fiercely.
Bobby blushed violently. Then he spotted an Internal Affairs Captain. He approached fast and held out his hand.
"Your badge and gun," he demanded. "At once, Detective."
"B… but… we…" A nightmare. He would not only lose the only woman he ever could love, no, he would also lose his job, his reputation, in short, he would lose everything he…
That was when a stamp hit him in the middle of the chest.
"Hey, partner," Alex grumbled. "Come back to earth."
"W…what?"
"You zoned out again," she chuckled. "Shouldn't you leave for your date?"
He glanced at his watch.
"Still have some time," he mumbled.
With a mixture of surprise and annoyance she noticed that he blushed.
"Well, I need to talk with Taylor again, so I'm going to the labs. You won't be here when I come back so, have a nice weekend."
"Thanks, Eames. The same to you. Have fun with Carolyn and Mike."
"I guess we will… See you Monday morning." She got up and, slightly shaking her head in bemusement, left the squad room.
"So, tonight's the night?" Mike whispered to him, as soon as she was gone.
"N… no. I don't think that I can do it. But thanks for your help."
"You're kidding, right!" Mike almost exploded but kept his voice low. "You know how long I needed to talk Carolyn into talking Alex into to come to that bar with me?"
Bobby shook his head.
"No, you haven't. Yet, you won't chicken out now. You'd curse this day until you die of old age, your only company being the TV and the kitchen counter."
"What's up here, Detectives?" Deakins interrupted them. "Everything okay?"
"Ye…yes, sir," Bobby stammered, nervously shoving papers on his desk around.
"You're hiding something?" the captain asked suspiciously.
"No!" Bobby sounded insulted. "Why should I?"
"I don't know… What's the Porter case doing?"
"Alex is talking with Taylor right now. We'll have to see what forensics will come back with."
"Okay. Keep me in the loop, okay. Have a nice weekend."
"Yes, sir, thank you. Same to you."
With both hands Bobby ruffled his hair. This turned out to be a horror trip. Still a shade of red on his cheeks he quickly picked up the hidden papers and pushed them into his portfolio, hiding the lyrics of Montgomery's "I Swear" before someone could spot them. Getting up, he patted his pocket to be sure that the small velvet case still was safely tucked away.
END
"Per l'amor di Dio." - "For God's sake."
A/N: Oh, oh, writing this actually was fun. I'm surprised what's happening with me… a secret romanticist seems to hide inside of me.
Hope you had fun, too… PLEASE let me know!!!