It Starts with a 'Hello'

Summary: Gustavo Rouque is new at this whole producer thing. So he figures an assistant can help with the job. Can love help also?

For Sean Murray's-Thom E. Gemcity... hop you like it. Set 10 years before BTR.

Gustavo's POV

"Welcome to the job, Gustavo. I'm your boss, Griffin. This building, is where all the magic will happen. I've paid for this building to be constructed to a dance studio, recording studio, offices, and other things you will need to create the most famous boy bands, and music artists!" He led me through the dark building.

"Thank you so much Mr. Griffin." I shook the man's hand.

"Create magic, Gustavo, I know you will." He said, then left. I took a look into the room that was going to be my new office, and I knew I would become a well renowned producer, at the age of 22.

"BOY QUAKE? BAD BOYS? What the hell is wrong with you Rouque?" My boss screamed at me. "You have gotten four bands in the past year here, but NONE have made it past a single CD... What the hell are you doing wrong? You're losing me money!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Griffin... I really am." I slouched in my chair, and ran a hand over the back of my neck.

"Try again! And this time DON'T fuck up!" He yelled, and slammed my office door, the walls shaking.

What have I done wrong? I thought those boy's had talent! I thought they would prevail... but they never got past a single CD... Maybe I wasn't cut out for the producing business...

I stood from my desk. "I'll find the next big hit!" I said proudly and left the building.

"Where to Mr. Rouque?" My driver asked me.

"New Jersey!" I said.

"Yes sir." He nodded and started the car.

"What do you mean you're in New Jersey? Why?" Griffin screamed into the phone.

"This is where I'll find that person! The new fire!" I told him.

"You come back empty handed, or with someone with no talent, YOU'RE FIRED!" He yelled into my ear, then hung up.

I sighed. "We're here sir." My driver said.

I stepped out of my limo. "HELLO! NEW JERSEY!" I screamed out and waved.

After 5 hours of finding no one with talent in this god-forsaken state, I wanted to just quit, and go home.

"NEXT!" I yelled out.

The door opened and a girl, probably 19 or 20 walked in. She was tall, her long dark hair pulled into a ponytail. If she didn't have long hair, I could have mistaken her for a male. Her short sleeved shirt, over a long sleeved one, and her very baggy jeans did nothing to show off her femininity.

"Name?" I asked her, as she an approached the mic stand.

"K...Kelly Wainwright." She said.

"Well can you sing?" I asked.

"Yes... yes sir..." She nodded before starting a song.

As she finished, I was in utter awe...

"Well Ms. Wainwright... That was good, but, you don't seem to have the fire I need." I told her.

Bad move...

"What! I'm amazing! I don't need some stupid talent scout like you telling me I can't sing!" She yelled into the mic. "How's that fire for you?"

"Wow... you have that fire... But not for singing... How would you like to come to LA with me, and be my talent agent?"

"Talent agent? You mean your ASSISTANT?" She asked.

"Well yes..." I said, "What do you say?"

"HELL NO!" She said, then stormed off the stage.

"Well that didn't work..." I sighed.

I slumped back to the limo, pissed that as soon as I got back to LA, I would be job less, and screwed. I looked up, and saw the same girl, standing with a duffel bag slung over her shoulders.

"Kelly?" I asked her.

"Mr. Rouque. I'll take the job!" She said.

"Okay, well we have to go and find me that fire, before my boss fires me!" I told her.

And we did. We found it in Kansas. A young group of boys. Which we gave the name, Boys in the Attic.

"They have that fire, I can tell." Kelly told me.

And boy was she right. Boys in the Attic, produced 4 CDs, went on 2 tours, and hit the tops of charts for a consecutive month.

"Good job Gustavo! Good job!" Griffin congratulated.

"We did it Mr. Rouque!" Kelly jumped up and down, happily. I smiled at her. She jumped up and hugged my tightly.

After Boys in the Attic, we had an off year. Couldn't find anyone, and we were just in a rut.

"Gustavo?" Kelly knocked on my door, and opened it slowly.

"Hey Kelly." I sighed.

"Don't feel down about not finding the next Boys in the Attic. You'll find them." She said, patting my back. I nodded.

"Can you get me a coffee?"

"Sure." She said and turned to leave.

"Hey Kelly?"

"Hmm?"

"Is that a new outfit?" I asked.

"Oh this? Yes..." She nodded, and smoothed out the short blue cocktail dress. "Do you like it?"

"Yeah... It looks nice on you. Better than those baggy jeans and shirts you used to wear." I smiled.

"Okay." She said and left.

And I, Gustavo Rouque, was watching her as she walked away, then way her butt moved, the way the muscles in her legs flexed with each step. And man was I falling hard for her.

The way she would giggle at things the guys said. The way she would stumble over her words, when she was nervous. They way her nose wrinkled when she smiled.

Soon we had been working together for 5 years. And what a great 5 years it had been. Creating starts, just to have them shot down by the public, or record company. But Kelly stayed positive. And even through all my yelling stayed by my side.

"Gustavo?" She asked one day, as I was writing down song lyrics.

"Yes?"

"Can I have this Friday off?" She asked.

"Why?"

"It's uhm... my birthday..." She said.

"Yes. And I will be taking you out..." I told her, and continued writing.

"Oh thank you Gustavo!" She said, and ran over, hugging me.

"No problem." I smiled.

So Friday night we went out to the finest restaurant in LA.

"Wow. Gustavo. This must cost a whole lot." She gasped.

"Nah..." I shook my head, and escorted her in. "Reservations under Rouque."

"Right this way sir." A waiter took us to a table towards the back.

"Thanks so much Gustavo." She said, sipping her water.

"No reason to... Why wouldn't I help celebrate your birthday with you? You are special to me..." I said the last part in a mumble.

"What?"

"Oh nothing..." I said taking a drink of my water.

"No... you said something..." She pushed.

"I just said you were special to me. I haven't ever had an assistant. And you have helped me alot." I said.

"Oh... Well you're special to me to." She smiled.

"I'm glad for that." I smiled and we continued the dinner.

"Gustavo! I need the night off." She came to me.

"Why?" I asked. "We have to leave to scout more cities in a few days. There are lots of things to do."

"I... I have a date." She mumbled.

"A what?" I looked up from my pile of papers, shocked.

"Yeah..." She had a smiled, from ear to ear.

I felt my heart break as I nodded yes to her request.

"Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!" She said profusely, then left the room.

"What have I done..." I whispered to myself. "I let the girl I love get away..." I hung my head.

"Gustavo..."

"Oh Kelly. I thought you would be gone already." I looked up.

"Well I had forgotten my purse... You love me?"

"You heard that? Did you... Well yes..." I sighed. "Yes I do."

"I love you to Gustavo..."

"I love you Kelly." I stood and hugged her tightly.

Another 5 years gone by, we stayed together. Even while I pissed her off with my yelling. She still loved me.

"Ready to go find your new fire?" Kelly asked me, as we pulled up in a new city.

"Yeah. Might as well." I sighed.

"Just remember, it all starts with a 'Hello'." She said, as we climbed out of the limo and out into the cold air of Minnesota.